Estimated City Council, I am writing to you on behalf of the Hillview Middle School Environmental Club. We believe that trees are an important part of the ecosystem and environment in our city, as they help cleanse the air (especially important currently due to the Napa Valley fires), as well as making our city beautiful. Moreover, the Heritage Oak is the representative symbol of Menlo Park, which gives us a more than compelling cause to protect them. Heritage oaks are not the most plentiful trees in our city. They are also vulnerable to many environmental factors, such as the invasive species of the Oak Moth caterpillar, which prefers tan oaks and live oaks, but also will eat the Heritage Oak leaves. This is only one of several factors that could potentially damage the Heritage Oaks in our city. Because of this, we believe the city should plant more Heritage Oaks, which will help increase the tree's ability to thrive in our town, and help us take care of this beautiful symbol of our city. Sincerely, Anoushka Bhow 8th Grade Hillview Middle School Environmental Club Sent from my iPad Received on Wed Oct 18 2017 - 12:11:53 PDT
