TreePeople

How can communities manage their landscapes to make them more resilient to climate change? Can native plants and fungi remediate contaminated soil? And how can we better understand soil health in the aftermath of the LA fires? These are just a few of the big questions researchers tackled at TreePeople’s 4th Los Angeles Urban Soil Symposium on March 7th. Framed around the theme of Climate Gardening, the conference dug into the way landscapes are both socially and ecologically constructed, and explored strategies to better adapt them to the impacts of climate change on our cities. https://lnkd.in/gxpDhCYR

As the largest community-based org conducting restoration in SoCal, TreePeople is uniquely positioned to transform fire-scarred sites back into functioning, fire-adapted ecosystems. By contributing to our new Wildfire Resilience Fund, you will help bolster our ongoing and future restoration and conservation projects, which transform degraded and fire-scarred sites back into functioning, fire-adapted ecosystems. 100 percent of your gift goes directly to restoring fire-scarred landscapes, expanding fire prevention efforts, and protecting our communities. Join us! https://lnkd.in/g8BZ8kJQ

TreePeople is pleased to announce our new Board Chair, John D. Bunzel, CFP?! A resident of Sherman Oaks and the former Chair of the Board at New Horizons, Bunzel has a deep connection with Southern California and a rich history of nonprofit board experience. Bunzel is also a Global Sports and Entertainment Director with The 310 Group at Morgan Stanley?in?Beverly Hills, a Certified Financial Planner?, and an accomplished playwright. We are so grateful for the growth that was made during the tenure of our former Board Chair, Philip Boesch, who will continue to serve on the Board. Boesch brought passion for connecting people with the environment and introduced countless individuals to TreePeople. He worked hand-in-hand with our late-CEO Cindy Monta?ez to more than double the size and impact of the organization. Here's a?letter from Bunzel about his new position and hopes for the future of our organization: https://lnkd.in/gw-cPaNW

We’re already experiencing the real-world impacts of climate change in our daily lives, and it’s more critical than ever to make sure our communities are prepared for the future. This month we met with 20 CA Senators and Assembly Members to build support for our work in urban forestry, outdoor equity and environmental education, school greening, and wildfire prevention and restoration among Southern California representatives in Sacramento.?

Dear TreePeople Community, In these challenging times, our hearts are with all those impacted by the wildfires. We hope this message finds you safe and surrounded by support. We are relieved to share that our beloved Coldwater Canyon Park has not been affected by the fires and is now open, thanks to swift approval from the City of Los Angeles. TreePeople remains a sanctuary for community and healing, and we look forward to welcoming you back when the time feels right. Unfortunately, the fires have touched parts of our TreePeople Land Trust. Several smaller properties in Las Flores and Tuna Canyons have burned, and we will assess the damage as soon as we are allowed access to the area. Our Cold Creek Preserve, a treasure of pristine chaparral and freshwater wetlands, remains safe for now, and we are deeply grateful for this small reprieve. We know many of you are wondering how TreePeople is moving forward and how our team is doing: Our Staff & Community: Our staff have been directly and indirectly impacted. We are rallying together to provide support for one another and for the communities we serve. Our staff continues to be deeply engaged—offering services and expertise to others impacted, volunteering at donation centers, and extending a helping hand wherever possible. Ongoing Projects: While the fires have caused some delays, our work continues. We are focusing on critical efforts like seed collection for future reforestation, community forestry initiatives to stabilize wind damaged street trees, student workshops with virtual lessons for schools closed by fire, and preparing for long-term recovery strategies. Volunteer Opportunities: For safety and to allow the land time to heal, forest restoration work in burn areas won’t commence for several months. Once it’s safe, we will mobilize our dedicated volunteers to help bring life back to these areas. For now, we continue to offer volunteer opportunities to plant and care for trees in cities throughout the region as well as to restore wildlands damaged by past fires. TreePeople remains steadfast in our commitment to healing and restoring Southern California. With decades of experience in post-fire restoration, we are prepared to meet this challenge with strength, expertise, and care. For resources and more answers to frequently asked questions, please visit treepeople.org/fire. We’ll continue to keep you updated as we learn more and as plans for recovery unfold. For now, please know that our hearts are with all of you navigating these difficult days. Thank you for being part of this community. We will move forward together, with strength and hope for the future. With gratitude, The TreePeople Team

Happy holidays from our wonderful team here at TreePeople! ?? We hope your new year is filled with community, chances to get outdoors, and plenty of TREES. ?? We also want to give a special shoutout to Boomtown Brewery for hosting a wonderful holiday party, filled with tacos, karaoke, and camaraderie. Cheers to more of that in 2025, too! ?? ?? ??

We’re thrilled to announce a new partnership between TreePeople and BMO U.S. to address tree equity in South and Southeast Los Angeles County! Their generous $200,000 donation will allow us to plant 1,500 mature trees and distribute 500 more across these neighborhoods, in an effort to tackle environmental and climate challenges in areas that face significant environmental burdens due to decades of redlining and industrial zoning. Learn more about this exciting new collaboration: https://lnkd.in/gfjJ9V3K

We had a blast convening with Urban and Community Foresters from across the country this week at the Arbor Day Foundation’s Alliance for Community Trees Day! ?? TreePeople joined the Environmental Justice in Urban Forestry panel to present our work advancing community-guided strategies for shade equity through Urban Forest Management Planning in small cities across Southern California. TreePeople is proud to be a long-time member of the Arbor Day Foundation's Alliance for Community Trees, a network that brings together community based organizations, urban forestry professionals, and researchers to share best practices and promote healthy urban forests and resilient cities.

We are feeling inspired about the power and potential of green schoolyards after the Green CA Schools and Higher Education Summit in Pasadena this week! Our School Greening, Education, Research, and Policy teams presented our work transforming asphalt to climate resilient gardens and trees,?engaging students around sustainability, and innovating stormwater solutions through green schoolyard design. So exciting to meet with educators, administrators, policymakers, and experts from across the state to exchange best practices and innovative ideas for creating eco-friendly campuses. #GreenCAEduSummit #GCSHES2024

What a difference two years can make! Two days in San Francisquito Canyon, two years apart. TreePeople's dedicated Mountain Forestry team and community volunteers have been hard at work restoring native habitats here and elsewhere across Southern California. In addition to plenty of time and care, native habitat restoration also needs consistent financial support. A YES vote on Prop 4 supports funding critical native habitat restoration efforts across California. Learn more about how you can vote for more trees (and native plants!) this election season with our handy voter guide: https://lnkd.in/gh32f-7q