Parks and trails staff reported multiple maintenance and planting efforts intended to ready Corona’s parks for winter and spring use, including a green Latinos grant for 400 trees and an ongoing 3,000-tree reinforcement program the city aims to complete in two years.

“Between now and February we’ll be working on those additional 400 trees, and our regular reinforcing efforts, which is our 3,000 trees. We are in — we’ve got two more years to complete those,” a parks staff speaker said, describing grant-supported plantings in high-heat-index neighborhoods and other selective locations.

Staff outlined fall-to-winter transitions: biweekly mowing, leaf collection, heavy pruning/skirting (raising lower limbs ~12 feet on sidewalks), clearing drains and culverts, and painting of backflow cages and curb markings to identify valves. Grid pruning for the city’s urban forest (an inventory the speaker said is just over 70,000 trees) runs on a five-year cycle; palms receive annual maintenance.

Parks staff also described winter field renovations to start the week of Thanksgiving, including overseeding, aeration, fertilizing and top dressing. Two fields — Butterfield Field 9 and an outfield at Eagle — will remain open as overflow for leagues while renovations proceed. Staff said renovation work will be split between contractual crews and in-house teams to allow adequate germination time for perennial rye seed.

Commissioners asked about scheduling, potential rain impacts on tree planting and whether volunteers could help plant trees. Staff said the trees remain at the nursery while staff await favorable planting conditions; the city can coordinate smaller volunteer efforts but large plantings require crew scheduling and coordination.