Projects

Growing a Greener LA

Each year, City Plants works on several major plantings, including a National Arbor Day celebration, to involve community members in transforming our neighborhoods and parks.

2021

Tree Ambassdor Program

The Tree Ambassador – Promotor Forestal Program is a grassroots, bilingual community organizing pilot program dedicated to amplifying community voices and planting trees in historically disinvested communities in Los Angeles.

Commonwealth Nursery in Griffith Park

In 2020, City Plants received a generous donation of saplings from the University of Redlands and LA County Fire Department, which spawned the development of a pilot nursery program to start growing trees from seed for the LADWP free tree program. The Commonwealth Nursery project sets an example for how public private partnerships can transform Los Angeles into a more livable place for plants, animals, and us. Centrally located in LA, the 11-acre Commonwealth Nursery site in Griffith Park can serve as an urban ecological laboratory and training grounds, where plants are grown, people are trained, and a city is transformed. The goal of the nursery is to strengthen the City’s partnerships with nonprofits and the public, achieve progress towards the resiliency goals outlined in the City of LA’s Green New Deal, the City’s Biodiversity Initiative, and beyond, through local-level seed collection and propagation. City Plants is working with many regional partners, including the Department of Recreation and Parks, the LA Department of Water and Power, LA Conservation Corps, LA Parks Foundation, LA’s Urban Ecologist, Grown in LA, and others to pilot this nursery.

LA’s Urban Forest Equity Visiting Scholar: Dr. Vivek Shandas

With funding provided by Tree People, Accelerate Resilience LA, City Plants is working with Dr. Vivek Shandas as LA’s first Urban Forest Equity Visiting Scholar from July 2020 – March 2021. Vivek Shandas will help regional partners examine in depth how to address the inequitable distribution of LA’s urban forest. Dr. Shandas is a renowned expert on the intersection of public health, equity and green infrastructure and will examine opportunities for tree canopy expansion in low-income, heat-impacted areas. He will make GIS-informed recommendations and assess policy shifts needed to achieve the Mayor’s Green New Deal goal of a 50% increase in tree canopy in disadvantaged communities by 2028. Specifically, Mayor Garcetti’s Green New Deal goal is to “increase tree canopy in areas of greatest need by at least 50% by 2028 to grow a more equitable urban forest that provides cooling, public health, habitat, energy savings, and other benefits.” Dr. Shandas will contribute toward this urban forestry goal by analyzing currently available plantable space and the potential for urban canopy expansion and prioritization through a public health and equity lens. Read Phase I of the report here.

2018

First Steps Toward an Urban Forest Management Plan for Los Angeles: The Assessment Phase

Thanks to a grant from CAL FIRE and the U.S. Forest Service, City Plants and partners are working with tree advocates and professionals from City Departments, non-profit organizations, CFAC, and the Neighborhood Council Sustainability Committee to conduct the assessment phase of an Urban Forestry Management Plan for the City of Los Angeles. Every UFMP requires a city to do a thorough audit of the current state of policies and programs as they relate to trees. City Plants and partners have retained the services of Dudek, an environmental consultant company, to work with a formal Working Group to conduct the audit. City Plants collaborated with a formal Working Group to aid Dudek in their analysis. The final report of this assessment will be finished in December of 2018, and it will hopefully help shape the future of urban forestry management in the City of Los Angeles.

April 28

National Arbor Day: Victory & Vineland

Partners: CAL FIRE, Office of Mayor Eric Garcetti, Office of Councilmember Paul Krekorian, LA Sanitation, LADWP, Los Angeles Department of Recreation & Parks, Bureau of Street Services, LA Corps, KYCC, LABT, NET, TreePeople, ACGLA, Fuego Tech, LA5 Rotary Club, North Hollywood Neighborhood Council, Farmers Insurance, South Bay Cares, Disney VoluntEARS

Four hundred volunteers arrived early in the morning to plant 173 trees along Victory Blvd in North Hollywood. This planting was made possibly from a collaboration between City Plants, LA Sanitation, CAL FIRE, LADWP, and the City Plants partnership. Trees will be watered for three years after the planting with funds from CAL FIRE. During the day, City Plants and Recreation & Parks hosted a community fair with over 30 vendors showcasing their programs and services to the community. Community members adopted trees and made sun prints from leaves to celebrate Arbor Day.

April 20

Earth Day with the Los Angeles Dodgers: Sycamore Grove Park

Partners: LA County Regional Park & Open Space District, Los Angeles Department of Recreation & Parks, LA Conservation Corps, the Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers joined City Plants and eighth grade students from Arroyo Secco Museum Science Magnet School to plant 60 trees in Sycamore Grove Park in celebration of Earth Day. Dodger right-hander Josh Fields and Dodger Alum Matt Luke joined the kids in the planting. This planting was the last community event for a grant from the Office of Supervisor Hilda Solis and the LA County Regional Parks & Open Space District. The grant paid for the planting and establishment care of 350 trees in eight parks throughout East Los Angeles. The LA Department of Recreation & Parks and LA Conservation Corps partnered with City Plants on this project as a part of their effort to combat deforestation in LA’s park system.

March 10

California Arbor Day: Hazard Park

Partners: LA County Regional Park & Open Space District, Los Angeles Department of Recreation & Parks, LA Corps, LA5 Rotary Club, Farmers Insurance, USC Alumni Club

Rain didn’t stop 75 volunteers from showing up to plant trees in Hazard Park this March, including members of the LA5 Rotary Club, Farmers Insurance, and the USC Alumni Club. This planting was the third community event for a grant from the Office of Supervisor Hilda Solis and the LA County Regional Park & Open Space District. The grant paid for the planting and establishment care of 350 trees in eight parks throughout East Los Angeles. The LA Department of Recreation & Parks partnered with City Plants on this project as a part of their effort to combat deforestation in LA’s park system.

2017

National Arbor Day: Hollenbeck Park

Partners: LA County Regional Park & Open Space District, Office of Councilmember Jose Huizar, Los Angeles Department of Recreation & Parks, Bureau of Street Services, LA Corps, Afterburn Productions, Disney VoluntEARS

About 100 volunteers celebrated Arbor Day by planting 81 trees in Hollenbeck Park. The event was kicked off by Councilmember Jose Huizar and dancers from the Hollenbeck Recreational Center. This planting was the first community event for a grant from the Office of Supervisor Hilda Solis and the LA County Regional Park & Open Space District. The grant paid for the planting and establishment care of 350 trees in eight parks throughout East Los Angeles. The LA Department of Recreation & Parks partnered with City Plants on this project as a part of their effort to combat deforestation in LA’s park system.

March 11
California Arbor Day: Elysian Park with the National Arbor Day Foundation & Boise Project Up

Partners: National Arbor Day Foundation, Boise Project UP, Office Depot, Office of Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell, Los Angeles Department of Recreation & Parks, LADWP, LA Corps, Citizens Committee to Save Elysian Park, Land Life Company

In 2016, City Plants won a grant from the National Arbor Day Foundation, as a part of Boise Project UP, dedicated to planting trees in urban areas throughout the United States. As a part of that grant, City Plants partnered with LA Department of Recreation and Parks, the Los Angeles Conservation Corps, the Citizens to Save Elysian Park, and the local community to plant a total of 300 young trees in Land Life Cocoons in unirrigated areas of the park. It is part of a larger pilot project to test the efficacy of these Cocoons, which are used to plant young saplings in dry climates.

March 2
School Kids Volunteer Event: Elysian Park with the National Arbor Day Foundation & Boise Project Up

Partners: National Arbor Day Foundation, Boise Project UP, Office Depot, Office of Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell, Los Angeles Department of Recreation & Parks, LADWP, LA Corps, Citizens Committee to Save Elysian Park, Land Life Company

In 2016, City Plants won a grant from the National Arbor Day Foundation, as a part of Boise Project UP, dedicated to planting trees in urban areas throughout the United States. As a part of that grant, City Plants partnered with LA Department of Recreation and Parks, the Los Angeles Conservation Corps, the Citizens to Save Elysian Park, and the local community to plant a total of 300 young trees in Land Life Cocoons in unirrigated areas of the park. It is part of a larger pilot project to test the efficacy of these Cocoons, which are used to plant young saplings in dry climates.

May 13
Planting Season Wrap Up: Pico Street Planting

Partners: Office of Mayor Eric Garcetti, Office of Councilmember Herb Wesson, LADWP, Bureau of Street Services, Great Streets Initiative, Pico Great Streets Collaborative, KYCC, Farmers Insurance

Volunteers gathered near CJ’s Café on Pico Blvd to plant trees with Mayor Eric Garcetti and Councilmember Herb Wesson as a part of the Great Streets Initiative. Overall, approximately 50 trees were planted in close coordination with City Plants, the Pico Great Streets Collaborative, the Office of Councilmember Herb Wesson and KYCC

October 21
Planting Season Kickoff Event: Lincoln Park

Partners: LA County Regional Park & Open Space District, Office of Councilmember Gill Cedillo, Los Angeles Department of Recreation & Parks, LA Corps

Over 100 volunteers from the community, Scotts Miracle-Gro, and Farmers Insurance celebrated the start of the fall planting season by planting trees in Lincoln Park. The event was made possible by a grant from the Office of Supervisor Hilda Solis and the LA County Regional Park & Open Space District, which paid for the planting and establishment care of 350 trees in eight parks throughout East Los Angeles. The LA Department of Recreation & Parks partnered with City Plants on this project as a part of their effort to combat deforestation in LA’s park system.

2016

May 12
California Arbor Day at Loren Miller Elementary School: Vermont Corridor

Partners: CAL FIRE, Office of Mayor Eric Garcetti, Office of Councilmembers Curren D. Price, Jr. and Marqueece Harris-Dawson, LA Sanitation, LADWP, Los Angeles Department of Recreation & Parks, Bureau of Street Services, LA Corps, KYCC, LABT, NET, Fuego Tech, Loren Miller Elementary School, USC Alumni Club

Mayor Eric Garcetti and Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson spoke to two hundred volunteers as they mobilized to plant 200 trees along the Vermont corridor in the kickoff event for a series of four community plantings covering six miles of Vermont Blvd. The plantings were made possible by a partnership between LA Sanitation, City Plants, and LADWP to get a $750,000 grant from CAL FIRE to cut new tree wells, plant, and water over 600 trees along the boulevard itself and to plant 1,200 additional trees in the surrounding neighborhoods.

After the event, volunteers participated in a community fair on the grounds of Loren Miller Elementary School, which included over 30 organizations and a tree climbing demonstration by LA Recreation & Parks.

April 9
Manual Arts High School Community Planting: Vermont Corridor

Partners: CAL FIRE, Office of Mayor Eric Garcetti, Office of Councilmembers Curren D. Price, Jr. and Marqueece Harris-Dawson, LA Sanitation, LADWP, Los Angeles Department of Recreation & Parks, Bureau of Street Services, LA Corps, KYCC, LABT, NET, Fuego Tech, LA’s Promise, Manual Arts High School

City Plants, the Office of Councilmember Curren D. Price Jr., and LA Sanitation worked with LA’s Promise, a parent group, at Manual Arts High School to pair the tree planting with a parent resource fair. Kids from the school planted trees while parents participated in Promise Parent College. KCET’s So Cal Connected filmed at the event as part of their story on LA’s tree canopy. After the planting, parents had the opportunity to take home trees to plant in their yards.

April 30
National Arbor Day at Algin Sutton Recreation Center: Vermont Corridor

Partners: CAL FIRE, Office of Mayor Eric Garcetti, Office of Councilmembers Curren D. Price, Jr. and Marqueece Harris-Dawson, LA Sanitation, LADWP, Los Angeles Department of Recreation & Parks, Algin Sutton Recreation Center, Bureau of Street Services, LA Corps, KYCC, LABT, NET, Fuego Tech, Afterburn Productions

Over 100 volunteers gathered at Algin Sutton Recreation Center to plant 100 trees along Vermont, the third planting in a series of four to transform the Vermont Corridor as part of a CAL FIRE grant held by LA Sanitation, which received match funding from City Plants and LADWP. After the planting, volunteers enjoyed a community resource fair. One of the star attractions was a tree climbing demonstration from LA Recreation & Parks Arboricultural Division. Volunteers “learned the ropes” of tree climbing and tested their strength to see who could climb the highest.

June 4
Grand Finale Tree Planting at Vermont & Gage Inclusive Park: Vermont Corridor

Partners: CAL FIRE, Office of Mayor Eric Garcetti, Office of Councilmembers Curren D. Price, Jr. and Marqueece Harris-Dawson, LA Sanitation, LADWP, Los Angeles Department of Recreation & Parks, Bureau of Street Services LA Corps, KYCC, LABT, NET, Fuego Tech

Over 100 volunteers met at the Vermont & Gage Inclusive Park to plant 150 trees along the Vermont, completing the fourth and final planting of LA Sanitation’s CAL FIRE grant to transform the Vermont Corridor in South LA.

In attendance were Mary Nichols, Chair of the California Air Resources Board, Tammy Townsend from Disney’s KC Undercover, and Hudson Yang from Fresh Off the Boat.

October 15
Fall Season Kickoff Event: Elysian Park with the National Arbor Day Foundation & Boise Project Up

Partners: National Arbor Day Foundation, Boise Project UP, Office Depot, Office of Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell, Los Angeles Department of Recreation & Parks, LADWP, LA Corps, Citizens Committee to Save Elysian Park, Land Life Company

In 2016, City Plants won a grant from the National Arbor Day Foundation, as a part of Boise Project UP, dedicated to planting trees in urban areas throughout the United States. As a part of that grant, City Plants partnered with LA Department of Recreation and Parks, the Los Angeles Conservation Corps, the Citizens to Save Elysian Park, and the local community to plant a total of 300 young trees in Land Life Cocoons in unirrigated areas of the park. It is part of a larger pilot project to test the efficacy of these Cocoons, which are used to plant young saplings in dry climates.

2015

April 29
National Arbor Day: Olive Vista Middle School

Partners: CAL FIRE, Office of Mayor Eric Garcetti, Office of Councilmember Felipe Fuentes, LA Sanitation, LADWP, Los Angeles Department of Recreation & Parks, Bureau of Street Services, Blue Shield of California, Mission Hills Nissan, LA Corps, KYCC, LABT, NET, Fuego Tech, Sylmar Graffiti Busters, Afternburn Productions

City Plants set up a partnership between LADWP and LA Sanitation to fund the planting and concrete cuts for 92 trees surrounding Olive Vista Middle School and Sylmar Elementary. Arbor Day festivities were held across the street at the Sylmar Recreation Center. Volunteers celebrated with hot dogs, a community fair, and a free tree adoption event.

December 5
Fall Season Kickoff: San Pedro Street Planting

Partners: Office of Councilmember Curren D. Price, Jr., LA Sanitation, LADWP, Bureau of Street Services, LA Corps, CRCD

City Plants, LA Sanitation, and the Office of Councilmember Curren D. Price, Jr. worked to plant trees in a barren area of San Pedro Street in the 9th Council District.

2014

April 26
National Arbor Day: 100 Trees on Broadway*

Partners: California Urban Forest Council, Office of Mayor Eric Garcetti, Office of Councilmember Curren D. Price, Jr., LA Sanitation, LA Corps, KYCC, LABT, NET, Fuego Tech, CRCD

With a grant from the California Urban Forest Council and What-A-ReLeaf, held through LA Sanitation, City Plants worked with the community to plant over 100 trees on Broadway in South LA, from Slauson to 69th. Volunteers celebrated their achievement with lunch and crafts for kids.

June 7
Spring Fever Planting: 100 Trees in Wilmington*

Partners: California Urban Forest Council, Office of Mayor Eric Garcetti, Office of Councilmember Joe Buscaino, LA Sanitation, LA Corps, KYCC, LABT, NET, Fuego Tech

With a grant from the California Urban Forest Council, City Plants, the Los Angeles Conservation Corps, and the Office of Councilmember Joe Buscaino worked with the community to plant over 100 trees in parkways around the neighborhood of Wilmington. City Plants gives special thanks to LA Corps Program Manager Meaghan Shearer, as this was the final large community planting event in her tenure with the LA Corps.

*In 2015, City Plants received “The Gold Leaf Award for Outstanding Landscape Beautification Projects” from the Western Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture, which is given to an organization that has done a transformative planting in a low-canopy neighborhood.

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