California Orchard Restoration Experiment Marks First Year of Community Work

Volunteers and local officials recently gathered to celebrate the one-year milestone of the California Orchard Restoration Experiment, a nonprofit initiative dedicated to reviving the historic orchard remnants at California Nursery. The partnership began after an agreement with the City of Fremont was signed to breathe new life into the historic grounds.

Over the past twelve months, the group has seen promising results, including a 90 percent success rate among grafted apple trees along Maiden Lane and steady growth across newly planted bare-root trees. Volunteers have also focused on rehabilitating older apricot trees that suffered through years of deferred maintenance, pruning them back into healthy condition following the summer harvest.

The progress coincides with the Fremont City Council approving a long-term framework for the project, granting recurring five-year extensions that effectively secure a 15-year lease for the nonprofit. Despite a recent setback involving stolen maintenance tools from a storage shed, the volunteer team continues regular Tuesday work sessions to care for the grounds.