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Citizen Forestry: Why Trees Don’t Make Sustainable Communities, People Do

On April 27, several bleak and over-paved blocks of downtown L.A.’s Arts District will be transformed by a community planting of 27 trees. Birds will sing, leaves will flutter, and hearts will lift: all because one person had a dream and got enough people excited about that dream to make it a reality.

That’s how Citizen Forestry works.

Gabrielle Newmark, an Arts District resident, was the winner of last year’s TreePeople-GOOD Maker Green City Challenge. She happens to be one of the 1,146 Citizen Foresters TreePeople has trained over the past 30 years, as is her mother, Sheila Newmark, who transformed a nearly treeless elementary school playground in her day.… Read more >>

Photo: Julie Prejean

Down from the Mountain as Another Season Closes

Ah, the sun has set on another seedling planting season in the Angeles National Forest. This year, Forest Aid: Angeles volunteers planted nearly 10,000 Jeffrey and Coulter pines, thanks to the management of the U.S. Forest Service, TreePeople mountain restoration staff, and the supervision of TreePeople’s dedicated volunteer group of Angeles Forest Restoration Supervisors.

There were stunningly beautiful days atop the mountain at Chilao Campground, where hundreds of seedlings went into the ground, planted by school groups and scout troops; corporate volunteers from companies all over the L.A.… Read more >>

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Discover the North Valleyheart Riverwalk, April 21

In April we branch out on our next community tree walk with partners at the Village Gardeners, who will show us their beautification and restoration efforts along the Los Angeles River in Studio City. Trees and water unite in a leisurely and informative stroll through areas of the designated North Valleyheart Riverwalk Greenway, part of the L.A. River Master Plan. You’ll see the progress of major volunteer planting efforts and find out how you can become involved in raising the standard for environmental stewardship in this area.… Read more >>

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April Is TreePeople’s Busiest Month

It was at the very first Earth Day in April of 1970 that our founder and president, Andy Lipkis, gained inspiration to do his first tree planting project. More than 40 years later, April is also a time of year when lots of folks ask us what we’re up to, the answer is: A LOT.

We’ll be talking about TreePeople’s work and bringing our interactive tools, such as the “Watershed in a Suitcase,” to a huge number of public events throughout this month in every corner of the county, from Long Beach to Sun Valley, Calabasas to Alhambra.… Read more >>

Three Big Days, One Simple Act


While April 22 is just around the corner and Earth Day is a wonderful time to reflect and celebrate this incredible planet, this month there are two other days that highlight hugely important environmental issues. March 21 is International Day of Forests and March 22 is World Water Day.

How to celebrate? After all, these days commemorate such enormous global issues. If I had to choose one action, it would be this: plant a tree.

With the simple act of planting a tree, each of us can help maintain the urban forest and shift the water crisis, all with one easy but profound step.… Read more >>