CANOPY BLOG

Chris Kao: Bringing trees back to an East Palo Alto neighborhood

By Canopy Team on September 26, 2024

Chris Kao (seen on the right with a black hat) speaks to the planting group at the East Palo Alto Montage HOA Planting on September 26, 2024.

Chris Kao has a vision for the East Palo Alto Montage neighborhood: a more liveable community shaded by a forest of thriving trees. As a resident of the Montage neighborhood for the past four years, Chris has personal experience feeling the heat due to a lack of robust tree canopy. 

“It gets pretty hot back here, the pavement. Even right now, it’s pretty hot,” says Chris, standing on the sidewalk by a row of homes. “We’re trying to cool it down.”

Recognizing the power of trees in cooling and shading neighborhoods, Chris believed Montage should have more trees. After digging through records, Chris learned that the neighborhood used to have trees planted along the street when it was first built in 2016. However, due to irrigation complications, the trees started dying and were removed.

As a member of the EPA Public Works and Transportation Commission since 2022, Chris has seen presentations of Canopy’s work at Commission meetings. Knowing that the Montage community used to have more trees, Chris saw an opportunity to work with Canopy to bring trees back to Montage. 

Mountain View Los Altos Union High School District students and staff at the East Palo Alto Montage HOA Planting on September 26, 2024.

After receiving a tree from Canopy in April, Chris worked with our Community Forestry Coordinator Arlene Nuñez García and the local EPA Homeowners Association (HOA) to lead an effort to plant more trees in the neighborhood. On Thursday, September 26, Chris, community members, and Mountain View Los Altos Union High School District (MVLA) students and staff worked with Canopy to plant seven additional trees. 

Chris hopes this planting is just phase one. As the President of the HOA, Chris continues to work with Canopy to bring more trees into the community and inspire other Montage residents to steward their own trees. 

“We’re trying to bring back the vision of trees. We hope that neighbors can see this and work with Canopy, with Board approval, to plant trees between every house,” says Chris. “In the meantime, we can start planting some trees and make it a more liveable area.”

Planting Leaders, volunteers, and Canopy Staff in action at the East Palo Alto Montage HOA Planting on September 26, 2024. Photos courtesy of Chris Kao.