Volunteer of the Month: Gigi Casey’s Passion for Diverse Green Space in South-Central Shines

TreePeople is only as successful as our volunteers allow us to be – their hands are tied to the roots of our movement and without their hard work and dedication, our efforts would come to a halt. We want to take the time and space to acknowledge the incredible people who remind us that trees need people and people need trees, so we’ve decided to highlight one of our standout volunteers every month here on our blog!

Our very first Volunteer of the Month is Gigi Casey: an advocate, grandmother, and dedicated member of the South-Central L.A.… Read more >>

Tree Planting Doesn’t End At The Sapling

At the end of January, we read this story about a planting initiative in Turkey that didn’t go quite as planned. Only a few months after a record-breaking planting of 11 million trees, up to 90% of those saplings may have already died.  

While we love to hear about planting initiatives around the world, we’ve noticed a recurring issue that we want to bring some attention to: tree care. It’s easy to assume that once a seed is in the ground it’ll become a tree — that’s how it works in nature: trees shed seeds and seeds become new trees, right?… Read more >>

Former Resident’s Legacy Lives on in the City of Bell

Our urban forestry work has a special way of bringing people together by shining a light on what trees can mean to us and to those we love. 

We’re called TreePeople because we know that trees and people need each other, and it’s a beautiful sight to see when that relationship manifests in expanded tree canopy and Angelenos connecting with loved ones across our county. 

This month, we were honored to be a part of remembering the former City of Bell resident Chuck Standing.… Read more >>

Who’s in our Park!?

With its expansive city views, it’s easy to forget that Coldwater Canyon Park is really a home to all sorts of wild animals. In our care for this incredible piece of land, we’re passionate about making sure that this place that we’re comfortable calling home is comfortable for them to call home too! 

We’ve made sure to sneak some cameras across our 45 acres to keep an eye on our furry neighbors: 

Bobcats in the park.

These carnivorous bobcats are stealthy hunters, but don’t worry – they only grow to be about 2 feet long and aren’t a threat to humans! … Read more >>

Forestry 2020: What’s in Store?

2019 was an amazing year for our forestry team: not only did they plant thousands of trees across L.A.’s mountain forests, but they also expanded urban tree canopy across concrete-dense neighborhoods and in schools across the county. 

This year, our forestry team is looking forward to expanding tree canopy even more. Here’s what we can look forward to in 2020:

Thousands of plants in our mountain forests, from native chaparral to coast live oaks.

San Francisquito Canyon Planting, March 16, 2019-3

Thousands of trees planted across our city’s urban forest.… Read more >>

Yujuan Chen to join City Committee Charged With Improving Los Angeles’s Urban Forest

Yujuan Chen, TreePeople’s Senior Manager of Urban Forestry Policy, was sworn in December 19 to serve on the Los Angeles Community Forest Advisory Committee representing City Council District 2. 

The committee works with the city to promote and improve the urban forest and is made up of city employees as well as community representatives from each council district. Chen was nominated by Councilmember Paul Krekorian and appointed by Mayor Eric Garcetti. 

“I am honored to represent Council District 2 at the Community Forest Advisory Committee,” Chen said.… Read more >>

Which Natives Should You Plant in Your Garden?

It’s planting season! Is your green thumb itching? If your landscaping could use a drought-smart update, now’s a great time to put new roots in the ground. Here’s our list of native plants that will transform your yard into a climate-appropriate wonderland! 

Saint Catherine‘s Lace

Eriogonum giganteum

The big pinkish-white, flat-topped flowers of this native California buckwheat appear in late spring and through summer before fading to red-brown. Saint Catherine’s lace grows in clay and other soils near the coast or inland.… Read more >>

Fire Safety Tips for the Holidays

Over 350,000 house fires happen every year and December and January are the peak months for these awful occurrences. A big contributor to the statistics is the holidays: during these months, we’re using fire and products that can cause fires more than any other time of year. 

We want to make sure you stay safe and fire-free this holiday season, so we’ve put together a list of tips to keep your home and your family safe. 

Before we get into it, the first piece of advice is to test your smoke alarms, have an evacuation route established with your family, and keep an emergency bag handy.… Read more >>

A Sustainable Gift Guide for the Holiday Season

In the age of planned obsolescence and fast fashion, we like to take the holidays as an opportunity to spread fun gifts that support people as well as the earth that supports us all!

Take a look at our sustainable gift-giving guide for all types of people in your life: The Tree Person, The Gardener, The Eco-Adventurer, and The Kiddos.

Use this guide as a starting point, there’s a world of sustainable gift-giving options out there to make your holiday fun and eco-friendly!… Read more >>

Ashaninka Community Leader Benki Pyãnko Joins us for a Planting!

On Saturday, November 2, we were honored to be joined at our Huntington Park planting by Benki Pyãnko, an Ashaninka spiritual and community leader from Brazil.

TreePeople - Huntington Park tree planting with Benki Piyako

The Ashaninka community are an indigenous people residing in the rainforests of Peru and the State of Acre, Brazil. The community has been known historically by its neighbors as a fierce protector of their land and culture – an attitude that exists today in the wake of man-made fires throughout the Amazon Rainforest and an encroachment on indigenous culture.… Read more >>