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8 | Four Seasons Hemet Herald | AUGUST 2022 | Let's talk a little about trees. Most trees are good and contribute to the beauty of our community. Many of the trees lining our "through streets are mature and give their color, shade, and oxygen back to us. Many of the trees in our yards are younger, having been planted and replanted after various moves by new owners. Our weather is extreme and causes many trees to do poorly. The Approved Plant Material List comes from trial and error in the 18 years we have been here. When you need or want to remove a tree, whether or not a replacement is desired, an ARC application is needed before anything happens. When planting and replanting, keep in mind that the new tree must be 5' away from structures, hardscape (sidewalks), and property lines. New tree size is important, as many trees grow very slowly and take years before contributing to the landscape. Now, we want to tell you about an issue we have learned about with one of our community trees. The Brown Turkey Fig Tree tolerates our weather well, but the Black Fig Fly is on the attack and in fact, is an epidemic that is plaguing Riverside County. The fruit cannot be eaten and care must be given to contain the spread. If you have a fig tree, please take note of this serious problem and take precautions. Cal Riverside is currently studying this concerning situation. Lastly, the Crepe Myrtles are in bloom and are very popular in Four Seasons. When you are shopping for a Crepe Myrtle tree, keep in mind that you have many types to choose from, in various colors and sizes. Consider what yours will be at maturity… a large bush or a large tree, Crepe Myrtles come both ways. Thanks for keeping Four Seasons beautiful. Call Maria Donti and plant a tree. Architectural Review Committee What sets Four Seasons apart from other communities and neighborhoods? Yes, we are a planned 55+ age-qualified community as outlined in Government statues, but our neighborhood bonds are deeper. We have the opportunity to engage, to the extent we desire, with our neighbors in arts, creative endeavors, athletic and sports activities, social and holiday encounters, and as volunteer community support. We also enjoy a built environment established originally by master-planned development, and maintained and enhanced by years of professional and volunteer direction and notably private pride of home ownership. An additional aspect of the unique Four Seasons experience, and cited by recent Board sponsored residential survey, identified OVERALL APPEARANCE as the number one reasons for living in Four Seasons. And the OVERALL APPEARANCE is notably manifested in not only the excellence in maintenance of our Common Area facilities, including The Lodge, private streets and homes, but in our lush and lovely landscaping. The Landscape Committee devotes many hours each month to ensure that the Four Seasons Common Area landscape is well maintained and appropriately enhanced. Years of experience has evolved into documents that ensure the continued high standards are maintained. The Landscape Committee oversees professional landscape maintenance, reviewing contracts and monthly contractor performance schedules. Plant and tree lists have been established and reviewed to reflect not only the challenging climate extremes of our Hemet location, but climate change trends and the extended drought that appears to be our new normal. Additionally, a significant element of Four Seasons OVERALL APPEARANCE includes the variety and maturity of our trees. In the drier climate we experience in Hemet, trees provide not only a visual feast, but significant shading, heat reduction, oxygen production, texture, property value enhancement, and color and seasonal change with the many flowering and deciduous species. And how many trees are there in Four Seasons? The number is likely in the two thousand range, with 974 individually tagged trees in our Common Areas, not counting the trees at private homes, on the privately-owned and operated golf course, and within the surrounding City-maintained Heartland District landscaping on Four Seasons Boulevard, World Cup Avenue, Florida Avenue, and California Avenue outside our gates. Fortunately, the vast majority of these landscape areas and our own Common Areas are irrigated with recycled water. Your Landscape Committee will continue to endeavor to maintain and enhance the OVERALL APPEARANCE of our Four Seasons landscaping as new challenges and topics arise. Landscape Committee

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