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PLACE Program 3530 Wilshire Blvd, 8th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90010 (213) 351-7825

Sustainability and Trees

Climate change affects all LA County residents, some more than others. Communities facing health disparities, such as differences in life expectancy, infant mortality, infectious diseases, and chronic illness, are also more affected by climate change (PDF). Historically underserved communities often have fewer trees, less shade, and limited access to green spaces. Tree planting is an important strategy for helping vulnerable neighborhoods adapt to climate change. Trees also contribute to traffic safety and physical activity by calming traffic and creating pleasant walking areas. The PLACE Program is working with County and community partners to plant trees, educate and inform residents, and develop tree policies and research projects.

Image illustrating shade trees in a beautiful setting

Trees for Los Angeles County

Los Angeles County's Chief Sustainability Office, in coordination with PLACE/Public Health and other County departments, has just released a draft of its ROOM TO GROW plan, the region's first-ever Community Forest Management Plan. The people-focused blueprint will guide the planting, care, and protection of trees throughout the region for years to come.

Having a healthy urban forest is an essential part of a healthy greater Los Angeles. If spread equitably, a well-managed canopy cover can deliver improved soils, biodiversity, habitats, shading from heat and greater community well-being.

Most civic infrastructure, like bus fleets or streetlights, is most valuable when new. But the value of trees actually increases over time. As they take root, trees only see their impact grow.

They also form a vital line of defense in our region's battle against growing climate impacts.

The final plan will be released this summer but here's a look at some key recommendations: pilot programs to help residents with the costs of planting and maintaining trees; prioritizing native tree to protect biodiversity; workforce development to build greater nature-based resilience in the County; and creating regional partnerships to create new funding sources for tree management.

Residents can view the plan, explore associated resources and provide comment on the Plan at the LACountyCFMP.org website until May 8, 2024.

Community Forest Management Plan

A well-managed urban forest in LA County can reduce stress, clean the air, provide healthier soils, support biodiversity, offer shade from heat, and enhance overall community well-being. PLACE is supporting the Chief Sustainability Office in creating an Community Forest Management Plan for Los Angeles County. This plan will prioritize planting in low-canopy communities, focusing on resilient trees, native vegetation, and biodiversity suitable for the climate. It aims to conserve mature trees and manage resources effectively to ensure trees thrive in our urban environment.

Free Trees for Unincorporated Area Residents

Trees cool and beautify our neighborhoods, improve our physical and mental health, save energy, and help clean our water and air. Residents in unincorporated LA County can request a free street tree from Public Works. Visit the Public Works Parkway Trees website to request yours. If you live in the City of Los Angeles, you can request free trees from City Plants for your home or neighborhood.

Urban Tree Sensing Project

In 2020, PLACE received a grant from the County’s Quality and Productivity Commission for the "Optimizing Planning and Management of Los Angeles County’s Urban Forest" project. Using data-driven approaches and machine learning, this project aimed to count, identify, and monitor every tree in the region efficiently, starting with East Los Angeles, Altadena, and Marina del Rey. Testing an automated approach is helping the County better understand how to manage the urban forest in a more cost-effective way. Learn more at https://trees-lacounty.hub.arcgis.com/.

Youth-Led Tree Planting and Education

Urban tree planting is crucial for climate resilience, but it faces challenges, especially in places that receive relatively little rain, like Los Angeles County. In unincorporated communities, residents who want a street tree have to water it themselves for 3-5 years. Historically, only 10% of residents agree to this, and just half of planted trees survive. To address this challenge, PLACE tree-planting initiatives involve community partnerships that provide job and life skills training to young adults. A key finding from evaluation of these initiatives is that 46% of residents have accepted free trees following outreach and education from community youth, a great improvement over the 10% in previous County tree planting projects.

Valinda, Bassett, Walnut Park, East Los Angeles

In 2017, the First Supervisorial District sponsored "Life is Better with Trees,” planting and watering nearly 2,000 trees in Bassett, Valinda, and West Puente Valley. This was a partnership with Los Angeles County Public Works, the San Gabriel Valley Conservation Corps and other community partners as a project of the Healthy Design Workgroup’s Tree Committee. Read our brief on Life is Better with Trees.

California State University, Northridge consulted with PLACE on "A novel resident outreach program improves street tree planting outcomes in Los Angeles," an evaluation of Life is Better With Trees. The evaluation identifies multiple strategies to inform future tree planting projects, increase street tree acceptance and establishment survival, and support community co-benefits.

Westmont and West Athens

In 2019, the Second Supervisorial District sponsored "Trees Make Life Better," planting and watering 650 trees in front of homes and at community planting events in Westmont and West Athens. This was a partnership with Los Angeles County Public Works, the Los Angeles Conservation Corps, From Lot to Spot, and the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust.

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Public Health has made reasonable efforts to provide accurate translation. However, no computerized translation is perfect and is not intended to replace traditional translation methods. If questions arise concerning the accuracy of the information, please refer to the English edition of the website, which is the official version.