Fourteen new trees were planted along the southeast area of St. Francis Park in Manteca on Thursday.

This was part of the collaborative effort between the Manteca Garden Club and the City of Manteca Parks Maintenance in recognition of national Arbor Day and Earth Day.

The Garden Club donated the October Glory and Sunset Maple – the combination of those two tree varieties will later provide magnificent foliage, according Park Maintenance Superintendent Cody Ross – along Kingston Way near Devonshire Avenue.

He added that the new addition to the park was more than welcome. "

We had a few trees go down (this year)," said Ross, who will soon be yielding his position to Scott Heaton.

St. Francis was one of three parks with newly planted trees thanks to the Garden Club. Cotta Park and Sequoia Park are the other two.

The Manteca Garden Club, in partnership with the City of Manteca, has donated a number of trees over the years.

Members at the planting of trees at St. Francis Park included co-Vice President Gloria Martinez, Treasurer Beverly Ensley, Parliamentarian Pam Dias, Barbara Stoner and Tom Powell.

For 30 years, Manteca has been recognized as a Tree City USA with over 16,000 trees and counting.