Did you know more than 7,000 people volunteered with TreePeople in 2014? Without volunteer commitment, we could not dream of creating a sustainable LA. Whether caring for trees on urban streets, planting seedlings in the Angeles National Forest, or donating their time to help out in our offices at Yurt Village, volunteers are the heartbeat of this organization.

Last weekend, we were honored to set aside time to celebrate and recognize the accomplishments of our volunteer community. The scope of their impact is truly remarkable.

Our Founder Andy Lipkis said it best: “The trees you plant survive better than those from any other source of planting in Los Angeles. It’s TreePeople’s volunteers, and your care, that keep them alive. From there, they will keep LA’s people alive. There’s no way we could thank you enough.”

But we do try! Many thanks to the phenomenal volunteers who made these things possible. We appreciate you more than words can express!

Here are some of our proudest moments:

• LA Schools: 522 volunteers greened LA’s schools, planting a total of 127 trees to shade hot, barren play yards and campuses.
• Griffith Park: In just four months, 225 volunteers spent more than 650 hours planting and caring for trees.
• Huntington Park: 215 volunteers came together to distribute 470 fruit trees and plant an additional 51 trees in the city. Their work inspired the local community—from the mayor, to local schools, to residents—to rally around tree care to grow the urban forest and provide healthy food for its people.
• Angeles National Forest: 4,477 trees were planted to replenish fire-damaged ecosystems, and 3,000 trees were cared for. This was no small task! It required over 19,000 gallons of recycled water to be carried uphill— through scorching heat, and sometimes even through snow!
• Santa Monica Mountains: Approximately 2,000 volunteers worked to restore 40 acres of land each month. About 540 cubic yards of non-native species were removed by hand to protect watersheds, wildlife and ecosystem!
• 10 volunteers earned California State Parks VIP Passes for volunteering in excess of 40 hours with TreePeople in state parks.
• TreePeople’s Coldwater Canyon Park: Countless volunteers stepped up to keep our park beautiful by caring for our trees, working in the nursery to grow seedlings and maintaining the park’s trails for the thousands of hikers, workshop attendees and school children to enjoy year-round.
• Last, but not least, a dedicated team of office volunteers and interns have been working diligently to help TreePeople behind the scenes.

We would also love to extend our appreciation for Nicole Liner-Jigamian, who for the past two years played a huge leadership role to create memorable experiences for our community as TreePeople’s Volunteer Manager. She has seamlessly facilitated thousands of people to play a part in greening their city. We’re so thankful for her service, and wish her luck at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Social Welfare!

Interested in volunteering to create a sustainable LA? Now’s the time! Visit our website to sign up.