The future of LA’s trees is in the hands of the next generation of Angelenos this summer. After five years of historic drought and extreme heat, many of LA’s trees are thirsty and vulnerable. And without healthy trees shading campuses and communities, students suffer— the air they breathe isn’t clean, they don’t have access to…

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LA just increased its coolness factor by $320,000! On the heels of a sweltering summer, the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council of the U.S. Forest Service awarded the Los Angeles Urban Cooling Collaborative (LAUCC), a national partnership led by TreePeople, a $320,000 grant to fund life-saving urban heat research. The LAUCC is a…

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Many people assume that LA is a desert— it’s not. Actually, we are one of the few places on Earth that enjoy a Mediterranean climate. That’s one of the reasons we all love living here. Regions like ours enjoy mild winters and warm summers. But you may have noticed that summers are feeling extra hot…

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“One tree is magic when you have none, two trees are hope when you have one, and three trees are a forest for learning, healing, and dreams.” Rosa Furumoto, Parent Pioneers Last month, TreePeople, along with our passionate partners at Parent Pioneers, transformed the campus of San Fernando Elementary School. Our team went in and…

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LA’s water pollution doesn’t stand a chance against our youth. This spring, our Generation Earth program hosted the yearly Streets to the Sea Challenge. The projects presented inspired and taught us all so much. What is Streets to the Sea, you ask? Each year, Generation Earth asks middle and high school students from all over…

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Tyson was only 7 years old when he and his father Rick planted their first tree together. That was also when Tyson was diagnosed with cancer. Rick’s connection to nature, and to that tree they planted, gave him strength throughout the tough years ahead. Nature is Rick’s refuge, his place to reboot, which is why…

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Water is precious. Especially as temperatures rise and the rainy season takes a vacation. Often in the grips of the summer heat, people will douse their lawns with their sprinklers causing “dry-weather runoff” to rush onto the pavement, into the street sweeping up pollutants along the way, into stormdrains to be dumped in the ocean….

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So the drought is over, right? The short answer is well, maybe. As the summer season swings into action and temperatures start to rise, it’s the perfect time to remember that as Angelenos, we all have the responsibility to act as stewards for our water and urban trees — even during a record-wet year like…

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Just 3 months after the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, I took my first steps on the path to found TreePeople. I was 15, and what I learned was captivating and urgent. I’d experienced years of air pollution burning my lungs, growing up in Los Angeles; but it was at an Earth Day…

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TreePeople is filled with amazing volunteers, but every so often, one of them shines bright against the crowd. That’s why we’re so grateful to have had the opportunity to sit down with one of our star community members, Paola Baraccia before she left the TreePeople family to move back home to Italy. What do you…

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After five years of intense drought, LA’s hills are finally alive with a vibrant blanket of lush green grasses and wildflowers! I love living in LA, but I spend too much time in my car or in air conditioned buildings. But as a volunteer and intern with TreePeople, I get the perfect getaway from city…

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Calling all urban forest advocates: Join the movement for safer, more accessible streets! LA’s sidewalks are at a tripping point! On June 10th, TreePeople, Investing in Place, Los Angeles Walks and AARP California are hosting “The Tripping Point,” a half-day advocacy summit for LA’s streets! “The Tripping Point” is a forum for community members from…

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