Wilmington Middle School

Funded by California’s Ocean Protection Council and in partnership with Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), TreePeople is currently constructing a green infrastructure project at Wilmington Middle School STEAM Magnet. The planning and design began in 2022 in collaboration with landscape architects Studio MLA, civil engineers Craftwater, and the community based organization Communities for a Better Environment (CBE).

The Wilmington Middle School greening project focuses on creating healthy, climate-resilient learning spaces by addressing stormwater runoff and water quality issues. The design includes rain gardens and new permeable surfaces which will also educate students about their watershed and water management strategies.

TreePeople’s holistic approach to greening prioritizes the voices most affected by this work: the school community. In collaboration with CBE, our bilingual school greening team hosted listening sessions and workshops for parents, students, and faculty to best understand what it is they need at their school. Through surveys, workshops, and extensive community outreach, the school community has shared their visions directly with TreePeople about what it is they want at their beloved school.

Guided by the feedback from the community, this project is removing over 15,000 square feet of asphalt and transforming two courtyards into sustainable, green learning environments. These courtyards will include a variety of exciting new amenities requested by the school community, including a small stage for dance and theater practice, a sensory and tactile garden, a pollinator garden, an arts-focused gathering space, shaded seating, and a container garden for learning. As part of this project, dozens of shade trees have already been added around the school campus, providing cooling in areas where students currently gather and exercise.

Throughout the design and construction process, TreePeople’s Generation Earth environmental education team has been active in the school classrooms, engaging students in lessons about the environmental benefits of the proposed project and using the project as a teaching opportunity.