Guardians of Lodi's Urban Forest
Tree Lodi is a community-based nonprofit dedicated to the planting, maintenance, and preservation of Lodi's urban forest through education, stewardship, and citizen involvement.
Plant
From Centennial Cork Oaks to the DeBenedetti Park Tree Laboratory, we've planted thousands of trees across Lodi's parks, schools, and neighborhoods — growing our canopy one tree at a time.
Educate
Through workshops, demonstrations, webinars, and partnerships with local schools and scouts, we teach the community proper planting, pruning, and care for a thriving urban forest.
Protect
We advocate at City Council for tree-friendly policy, work to combat threats like mistletoe infestation, and monitor the health of trees across Lodi's public spaces year-round.
Partner
Working alongside the City of Lodi, Lodi Electric Utility, CAL FIRE, and community volunteers, our Shade Tree Program has delivered over 2,000 free trees to Lodi residents.
A lifelong outdoorsman shaped by scouting, Steve graduated from Delta College in Ornamental Horticulture and CSU Sacramento with a B.S. in Environmental Resources. Hired by the City of Lodi in 1980, he rose to Park Superintendent and has been instrumental in securing Lodi's Tree City USA designation every year. He planned and selected the trees for the DeBenedetti Park Tree Laboratory.
A lifelong Lodi resident and Tokay High graduate, Bill built a career spanning retail nursery sales, landscape design, and tree maintenance. He retired from Caltrans as an Integrated Vegetation Management and Tree Program Manager, bringing extensive state-level forestry experience to Tree Lodi's leadership.
Nancy brings 25 years of finance expertise from Lodi Memorial Hospital to Tree Lodi's operations. Daughter of founder Joyce Harmon, she joined the organization in 2005 and has grown deeply knowledgeable about urban forestry through years of hands-on work alongside certified arborists and dedicated volunteers.
A native Californian raised on an Acampo farm, Gordon's career took him from the University of Chicago to Reynolds Metals to a second career in real estate, where he witnessed firsthand how trees elevate neighborhood value. Returning to Lodi in 2009, he led the DeBenedetti Park Tree Laboratory project as Tree Lodi president.
Born in Nova Scotia and educated at McGill University, Joyce moved to California in 1949. In 2003 she began her legendary one-woman campaign at City Council to combat mistletoe — and from that determination, Tree Lodi was born in 2005. Her century of life was celebrated in May 2024 with the planting of the Joyce Harmon Memorial Grove in Henry Glaves Park. Her vision continues to grow in every tree we plant.
Tree City USA
Lodi has held the Arbor Day Foundation's Tree City USA designation for over two decades — a testament to sustained investment in urban forestry by the City, Tree Lodi, and the community.
Tree City USA Growth Award
The Growth Award recognizes communities that exceed the baseline — documenting 10+ points of achievement across education, partnerships, planning, and tree planting each year.