Penny Pines

Chairman: Terry Sampson, pennypines@cagardenclubs.org

All Donation Reporting Forms are to be submitted electronically.
NOTE: If you wish to make a donation and are not a member of a CGCI affiliated organization you may send your check directly to the Forest Service Office of choice. You do not need to use the CGCI form.

In 1941, California’s first Penny Pines plantation was sponsored by the San Francisco Sportswomen’s Association. Recognizing the great need to restore these devastated areas, the association sent their donation to the Shasta-Trinity National Forest in northern California. Since that contribution, the number of participating groups and individuals has grown each year. They include such organizations as the Garden and Women’s Clubs, Boy and Girl Scouts of America, civic and sportsmen’s clubs, and many others. CGCI adopted Penny Pines as a state project in 1957 and it remains one of our major projects today. Over the years these groups have contributed more than a million dollars to the Penny Pines Reforestation Program. Through these donations, more than 27 million of seedlings have been planted, renewing 88,000 acres of national forest land in California –truly an outstanding achievement.

Where does the money go?

- In southern California, contributions may be used to prepare plantation sites for new trees or planting seedlings grown in Forest Service nurseries throughout California.
- Seedlings are grown from local seeds and acorns and replanted near the areas where the seeds were collected to improve their chance of survival.
- The funds may also be used to maintain existing tree stands and improve wildlife habitat or replant burnt or otherwise damaged forests in conjunction with federal funds.
- Plantations are important for watershed protection, soil stabilization, and shade for recreation areas.
  Any of these activities may be funded through Penny Pines donations.
- The Penny Pines Reforestation Program plays a vital role both in renewing the national forests in California and in multiple-use management. Trees help the ground store precious water, protect against soil erosion, and add to the scenic beauty of the national forests.

Penny Pines Pamphlet

- download and print
- add your club or district information in the box provided
- distribute at meetings, programs or events

At the start of the program in 1941, seedlings could be produced for about one cent each. Approximately 680 seedlings were used to plant a typical acre.
For $68.00, seedlings for ten acres could be purchased. Site preparation and planting costs were met through regular Forest Service appropriations.
The Penny Pines program was so successful that money contributed to purchase seedlings soon far exceeded appropriated funds available for site preparation and for the actual planting job.
In 1964, the original cooperative agreement was rewritten to provide that funds contributed under the Penny Pines program be used for reforestation, rather than solely for purchasing seedlings.
Today $68.00 provides support for approximately one acre (one “plantation”) which may include up to 350 trees.
Did you know? The national forests in California cover some 20 million acres, or about 1/5 of the state. That is equal to an area just slightly larger than the state of South Carolina . Stretching from the Mexican border to Oregon, these forests include a variety of terrain and vegetation types. These areas of great beauty and majestic stature are plagued by divesting problems, such as natural and man-caused fire, pests and disease. These cause vast depletion and destruction of the national forests in California. It takes thousands of firefighters and hundreds of pieces of specialized equipment working long hours to control these blazing infernos. Fires like these leave total destruction in their wake. As destructive as fires are, disease and insect infestation destroy seven times more forest vegetation annually than fires because forests pests are scattered and not easily detected, so are harder to control.In time some land may recover naturally. Penny Pines provides a helping hand. It is a conservation program in which everyone can participate.

Penny Pines Donation Report Form

Please DISCARD all previous forms.

This is a WEBFORM

Complete form

Print at least ONE copy to send with check (print 2 if you want one for your file)

Click “Submit”: The completed online form (no check) will automatically be forwarded to the CGCI Penny Pines Chairman

Make Check Payable to: USDA Forest Service in the amount of $68.00 (or multiples of).

Send check and one copy of form directly to the National Forest selected

Why submit reports to CGCI?

The Penny Pines Chairman provides the information to be published in Golden Gardens eNews
Donor clubs are eligible for Award #77 (Penny Pines Plantation Award): 1st – $125 to club(s) in each of two sections
A minimum donation of $68.00 may be made to a specific national forest, and even to a specific Ranger District within that national forest.
The funds are deposited into a Penny Pines Reforestation account, drawn upon as improvement projects are determined by resource managers.
A certificate of appreciation and thank you note is sent to each donor.
Donations may be made “in honor of” or “in memory of” individuals.
Your donation to the Penny Pines Project will help bring new life into our National Forests!

Regional Penny Pines Coordinator: Joe Sherlock, Joseph.Sherlock@usda.gov (new 2021)
USDA Forest Service Regional Office R5, 1323 Club Drive,Vallejo, CA 94562-1110, (707) 562-8686

NOTE: The items marked in red are new or updates

Angeles National Forest, 701 N. Santa Anita Ave. Arcadia, CA 91006 (626) 574-1613
Cleveland National Forest, 10845 Rancho Bernardo Rd., Suite 200, Rancho Bernardo 92127 (858) 673-6180
Eldorado National Forest,100 Forni Rd., Placerville, 95667 (530) 622-5061
Klamath National Forest, 1711 S. Main St, Yreka 96097, Yreka 96097 (530) 841-4452
Lassen National Forest, 2550 Riverside Dr. Susanville, Calif, 96130 (530) 257-2151
Los Padres National Forest, 1980 Old Mission Drive, Solvang, CA 93463, (805) 968-6640 (new address 2021)
Mendocino National Forest, 825 N. Humboldt Ave., Willows 95988 (530) 934-3316
Plumas National Forest, 159 Lawrence St., Quincy 95971 (530) 283-2050
San Bernardino National Forest, 602 South Tippecanoe Ave, San Bernardino 92408-2607 (909) 382-2600
Sequoia National Forest, 220 E. Morton Ave, Porterville 93257 (559) 784-1500
Shasta-Trinity National Forest, 3644 Avtech Parkway, Redding 96002 (530) 226-2500
Sierra National Forest, 1600 Tollhouse Rd., Clovis 93611 (559) 297-0706
Stanislaus National Forest,19777 Greenley Rd., Sonora 95370 (209) 532-3671
Tahoe National Forest, 631 Coyote St., Nevada City 95959 (530) 265-4531