That’s the idea behind JustOneTree (JOT), a program of the San Francisco-based nonprofit Urban Resource Systems. With a goal of fostering community resilience through fruit tree production, JOT is partnering with neighborhood associations, nonprofits and City agencies to achieve sustainability in lemon production.
Myer lemons, especially in dwarf or semi-dwarf size, are an ideal crop to illustrate the possibility of greater fruit production in dense cities such as San Francisco. Citrus trees are evergreen, comprise a key ingredient in the diet of many cultures, and can produce up to 200 pounds of fruit per year. They can also be grown indoors in a sunny window, allowing everyone to participate in the sustainability effort for San Francisco. JOT is presently gathering data on San Francisco’s existing lemon trees.
With a self-sufficiency need estimated at about 12,000 trees, establishing a baseline of the number and location of lemon trees is crucial for targeting specific neighborhoods to plant more trees and to assist those who want to share extra lemons. JOT relies on “Lemon Ambassadors” and neighborhood associations to catalog lemon trees in the JOT registry. This tool tracks the number and location of lemon trees in the city so that JOT can target specific neighborhoods for future tree planting efforts. Please help JustOneTree by registering your lemon tree, planting a new tree, and encouraging neighbors and friends to be a part of the movement.
Visit www.justonetree.org for registration and more information. Contact: Isabel Wade, JOT (415) 601-6992
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