Volunteers honored at Save Our Forest picnic

FALLBROOK — Fallbrook’s Save Our Forest (SOF) organization, a division of the Fallbrook Land Conservancy, recognized devoted volunteers at their annual picnic August 31 at Palomares House.

Howard Sansom was named Volunteer of the Year and was honored along with fellow volunteers Sherry Lamont, Gerry Davidson, Gary Beeler, Greg MacDonald, Marie Kinnaman and Beverly Jones.

Sansom started a small non-commercial nursery of trees several years ago; today, the nursery maintains a running stock of 4,000 trees and plants. These are used in a wide variety of ways throughout the community: for land conservancy preserves, school planting projects, downtown beautification, fire victim assistance and for residents in need of drought-tolerant plants.

Sansom is also a longtime volunteer with the Adopt-a-Highway program. Once a month he and other volunteers clean several miles of highway.

Save Our Forest holds volunteer tree planting “work parties” throughout the year. During fiscal year 2007-2008, SOF volunteers logged close to 2,000 hours planting, pruning, replacing and otherwise caring for trees throughout the Fallbrook area.

Volunteers are always welcomed by the organization. Call Jackie Heyneman at (760) 728-0889 for more information.