Going to bat

Broken Baseball Bats Translate into New Trees for Balboa Park and SD Region

The beauty and shade provided by trees, such as the iconic Morton Bay Fig, help make Balboa Park a crown jewel in our region’s park system. Unfortunately, nearly 20 percent of the park’s approximately 15,300 are in poor health or dead due to disease and drought.

Through a special initiative with the Padres, we are going to help replace some of those dead and dying trees in the park – donating funds for a new tree to be planted for each baseball bat a Padres batter breaks at a home game this season. In addition, this initiative will help preserve, plant, and promote trees throughout the San Diego region.

SDG&E and the Padres will donate a total of $40,000 to two local organizations – the Balboa Park Conservancy and Tree San Diego to support their tree programs. This fall, our employees will literally roll up their sleeves and help the Balboa Park Conservancy plant trees.

The Many Benefits of Trees

The tree canopy in the San Diego region is estimated to be 60-70 percent below what it should be for a healthy environment, according to Tree San Diego.

Aside from providing beauty and shade, trees help to defend against climate change by capturing carbon and improve air quality. Our donation will increase the tree canopy and raise awareness of the importance of planting the “right tree in the right place”.

Trees matter because:

  • Planting trees in the right places around homes can help conserve energy and reduce summer air conditioning by up to 35%.
  • Shade from trees slows water evaporation from thirsty lawns, helping to reduce water use.
  • In one year, an acre of mature trees absorbs the same amount of carbon dioxide produced when you drive your car 26,000 miles.

The benefits of trees are endless. That’s why we are eager to work with Tree San Diego and the Balboa Park Conservancy to green our region.

Going to bat for San Diego

The donations to Tree San Diego and Balboa Park Conservancy are part of Going to Bat for San Diego – our season-long effort with the Padres to support 13 non-profit organizations dedicated to improving the environment and keeping our communities safe.