Through a combination of grants, TreePeople will transform 17 LA County schools.
TreePeople today announced that we have been awarded $15,600,000 in grants by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) to plan and implement school greening projects on 17 Los Angeles County campuses across Los Angeles, Lynwood and Hacienda La Puente Unified School Districts. In addition, the grants will fund the planning of future greening projects on six Burbank Unified School District campuses.
TreePeople will use this transformative grant award to convert over 400,000 square feet of asphalt at local public schools into sustainable landscapes and natural grass playing fields with outdoor learning and reading gardens and permeable, heat-reducing surfaces. Nearly 1,000 trees and over ten thousand native plants will be installed and maintained to provide shade canopy and reduce extreme urban “heat islands.”
TreePeople will use this transformative grant award to convert over 400,000 square feet of asphalt at local public schools into sustainable landscapes and natural grass playing fields with outdoor learning and reading gardens and permeable, heat-reducing surfaces. Nearly 1,000 trees and over ten thousand native plants will be installed and maintained to provide shade canopy and reduce extreme urban “heat islands.”
Design layout for TreePeople’s plans to transform Charles W. Barrett Elementary School in the Vermont Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles, CA.
“With the hottest summer on record, it’s never been more urgent that we implement solutions to protect our communities–especially our kids–from extreme heat,” said TreePeople Executive Director of Operations Daniel Berger. “The time is now to tear out the sundrenched asphalt and create school campuses defined by trees, shade and natural beauty.”
Implementation projects will take place on campuses in historically underserved regions of South Los Angeles, Southeast Los Angeles County, San Fernando Valley and the San Gabriel Valley. TreePeople policy experts worked with Senator Bob Hertzberg, Assembly Member Cristina Garcia, Assembly Member Lisa Calderon and the Trust for Public Land in 2022 to champion and secure the allocation of $150 Million in the California budget to CAL FIRE for the purpose of school greening grants across the state emphasizing disadvantaged and low-income communities.
“TreePeople School Greening projects are part of our larger vision to utilize nature-based solutions that mitigate extreme heat impacts across urban Southern California’s most underserved communities–many of which are projected to experience hotter and more frequent high-heat days in the years ahead due to climate change,” said Emily Tyrer, Director of Green Infrastructure at TreePeople. Tyrer assembled grant-winning concept designs based on direct participation and feedback from educators and families in these communities. “These projects are born from parents who want a better learning environment for their children; I am grateful for CAL FIRE’s historic investment and honored to help school communities create safer, healthier schools.”
Implementation projects will take place on campuses in historically underserved regions of South Los Angeles, Southeast Los Angeles County, San Fernando Valley and the San Gabriel Valley. TreePeople policy experts worked with Senator Bob Hertzberg, Assembly Member Cristina Garcia, Assembly Member Lisa Calderon and the Trust for Public Land in 2022 to champion and secure the allocation of $150 Million in the California budget to CAL FIRE for the purpose of school greening grants across the state emphasizing disadvantaged and low-income communities.
“TreePeople School Greening projects are part of our larger vision to utilize nature-based solutions that mitigate extreme heat impacts across urban Southern California’s most underserved communities–many of which are projected to experience hotter and more frequent high-heat days in the years ahead due to climate change,” said Emily Tyrer, Director of Green Infrastructure at TreePeople. Tyrer assembled grant-winning concept designs based on direct participation and feedback from educators and families in these communities. “These projects are born from parents who want a better learning environment for their children; I am grateful for CAL FIRE’s historic investment and honored to help school communities create safer, healthier schools.”
TreePeople volunteers building a learning garden at Main Street Elementary in the South Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, CA. 2012.
Here is the comprehensive list of campuses that TreePeople will green: Abbott Elementary, 74th Street Elementary, 116th Street Elementary, Cedarlane Academy, Charles Barrett Elementary School, Eastman Ave Elementary, Florence Avenue Elementary, Grape Street Elementary, Independence Elementary, Lillian Street Elementary, Lindbergh Elementary, Miles Ave Elementary, Parmelee Elementary, Sparks Middle School, State Street Elementary, Vista del Valle Elementary and Vista High School.
About TreePeople: TreePeople unites the power of trees, people, and nature-based solutions to grow a more climate-ready Southern California. The organization inspires, engages and supports people to take personal responsibility for the urban environment, facilitates collaboration among government agencies, and promotes leadership in grassroots volunteers, students and communities. In this way, TreePeople seeks to build a powerful and diverse coalition to grow a greener, healthier and more water-secure Southern California for present and future generations. For more information, visit treepeople.org.
Contact: Alex Miller, Director of Marketing and Communications
818-639-2143
amiller@treepeople.org
818-639-2143
amiller@treepeople.org
