"...the most controversial aspect of the project in recent months has been the plan to dig up part of Capitol Park for the private underground garage for the legislators... For those not familiar with the site, Capitol Park is essentially a living museum, filled with trees that possess cultural or historical significance—trees planted in the 1800s; trees gifted to the state by other nations; trees that were transplanted here from the battlefields of the Civil War. One tree, a coast redwood nicknamed the 'Moon Tree,' sprouted from seeds that orbited the moon during the Apollo 14 mission in 1971."

"This December, Ray will retire as Executive Director at the Sacramento Tree Foundation after nearly four decades of service. Under his stewardship, the Foundation has planted over one million trees, giving Sacramento the well-earned title of the largest hand-planted urban forest in the world. Ray’s deep love for the area’s trees and his devotion to safeguarding their existence is the cornerstone of the Foundation’s legacy."

The state capital takes its tree-loving culture seriously, which makes it a good candidate for a fall color getaway.

"A strong beginning leads to a lifetime of success. That’s particularly true of trees."