Is the summer heat leaving you feeling a bit parched? Perhaps your landscaping is thirsty, too? If so, you’re not alone. People all over the southwestern United States are realizing that our traditional green lawn landscapes are more difficult and expensive to keep watered in hot, dry years like this one. So much so that…
Blog
Volunteers Give Heart to Our Work
September 3, 2013Trees need people. People need trees. And TreePeople counts on volunteers year-round. We appreciate the countless hours of hard work done by thousands of volunteers each year, but the value of volunteers to this organization goes far beyond the sweat hours put in every weekend. From friendly smiles to funny moments, and patient teachings to…
An Emerald Canopy Shades the Blacktop
August 30, 2013It is difficult to imagine what Hancock Park Elementary School, just two blocks from the busy intersection of Fairfax Avenue and Third Street, would look like without its luscious greenery. Tree canopies scattered throughout the grounds provide refuge from the sizzling blacktop and seem to uplift the vibrant little school from its urban environment. Tall…
Celebrating Innovators and Social Good
August 27, 2013At TreePeople, we’re passionate about environmental justice. The vision of a greener and healthier Los Angeles created and enjoyed by everyone in our city is what spurs us on. So we’re delighted to be media partners with Liberty Hill, L.A.’s social justice foundation, for their September 8 event Change L.A., a party with a purpose….
They Feel at Home: Two Treepeople Summer Interns
August 22, 2013Last week, I told the story of my journey from third grade TreeKid to TreePeople storytelling intern. This week, we’re going back to Yurt Village to hear the story of two more seasoned TreeLadies. Meet Jessica Haren and Stephanie Nelson—summer Landscape Design and Development interns, respectively. Jessica, a Landscape Architecture student at UCLA Extension, works with TreePeople’s…
Abuzz About the Power of Parkways!
August 20, 2013Up until recently, many Angelinos didn’t even know what a parkway was. Often called a planting strip, median, nature space or tree lawn—people were confused about what to call it, much less what to do with this section of our cityscape. Now all that’s changed. One little LA Times column by Steve Lopez, lots of…
The Magic of That First Planting Day
August 14, 2013At the now-verdant Hansen Dam Recreation Center in Sylmar, Roger Klemm approached “his” trees for the first time in nearly two decades since planting them. The sight of their tremendous growth brought a look of wonder to his face. Thirty-nine mature trees now thrive at the site of this TreePeople planting; they both accent the…
Head Up to the Mountains with TreePeople: Thirsty Seedlings Need Our Help
August 12, 2013Seedlings are growing and thriving at Chilao Flats in the Angeles National Forest thanks to hundreds of TreePeople volunteers who planted them earlier this year. This is an important and beloved mountain area that was devastated by the 2009 Station Fire, and we’re helping bring the forest back for all who depend on it. Volunteers…
A TreePeople Intern’s Deep Roots
August 7, 2013As a nearly lifelong Treeperson, I have responses for all the usual questions about my Treepeople volunteering. To the question, “So, you hug trees, right?” I answer, “Of course! But not as part of my work.” To the question, “So, you guys are people made of trees?” I respond, “You know ‘connecting with your roots’…
Victoria Principal to the (Fire Prevention and Reforestation) Rescue!
August 2, 2013Again, actress, activist and entrepreneur Victoria Principal comes to the rescue of Southern California’s forests. And again, it’s just in time. Although this week is unseasonably cool, the moment it gets hot again we’re in for some serious fire danger. In fact, Los Angeles County’s Fire Chief calls this summer and fall “probably the most…
Ten Ways to Add Green to Your Routine
July 31, 2013Here at TreePeople, we believe that everyone is a bit of a tree person at heart. We understand that not everyone has time to regularly plant or care for trees, let alone dedicate a career to the environment! However, a busy schedule doesn’t doom a tree person to an environmentally-oblivious life. We’ve provided ten ways…
Need Trees? Call TreePeople
July 26, 2013Better yet, handwrite us a letter. TreePeople received a package of just this type of letter from students at Sylvan Elementary School in Van Nuys. The youngsters missed the shade of three trees recently removed from their campus, and they took action. Not just heart-warming, their handwritten letters were effective. They grabbed our attention, and…