Happy New Year!

At the dawn of this new year, we reflect on 2016 and give thanks to our amazing TreePeople community that – despite a tough drought and an even tougher year in politics – banned together to plant thousands of trees and pass climate-conscience policies.

Here’s 2016 by the numbers …

COMMUNITY GREENING

• 3,700+ volunteers joined us in 2016
• 1,500+ new trees were planted and 4,811+ trees were saved from the drought
• We reforested the Bette Davis Picnic area near Griffith Park along with many other LA County locations.
• 1,400+ people become new TreePeople members just last year!
• 6 local waterways restored in the Santa Monica Area

PLUS

• $250,000 raised for our Huntington Park Greening Project thanks to the Dorrance Foundation and NBC/Universal’s 21st Century Solutions Grant Challenge
• $144,358 raised to combat drought in SoCal, including $40,000 from our friends at Casa Automotive Group – home of Casa de Cadillac (thanks friends!)

 

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

• California State Board of Education adopted a new Science Curriculum Framework with standards for school greening and hands-on environmental education modeled on TreePeople’s outdoor classroom approach
• 222,000+ LA County students were touched by our school outreach projects!
• 16,000 students at 180 different LA County schools learned about eco-literacy!
• 300+ super-teachers were trained to lead the next generation of climate champions.

 

POLICY & RESEARCH

• The Rainwater Capture Revolution continues as TreePeople and the Greater LA Water Collaborative create Countywide model for homeowner water conservation.
• TreePeople and NRDC made the rain count with our rainwater capture model in our latest science report!
• Lawsuit settlement invests $1.2 million with TreePeople to create rain gardens and drought-tolerant landscapes in high climate-risk neighborhoods.
• City Sidewalk Trees Saved by TreePeople and partners as LA City Council passes policies to protect trees during sidewalk repairs and look to the future of LA’s urban forest.
• And TreePeople helped pass Measure M (Transportation) and Measure A (Parks) passed to ensure a greener and more eco-conscious future for all Angelenos!

With your support, TreePeople will continue to protect and grow our urban forests, inspire the next generation of climate champions and shape public policy on issues that matter most to our communities and our environment.

Let’s make 2017 count in our fight to create the climate-resilient, water-secure Los Angeles of the future. Become a member or renew your membership to stay up to date on opportunities for hikes, classes, and volunteering!