Campus Forestry

TreePeople's Campus Forestry program teaches young people to be stewards of the urban environment, as it supports elementary and secondary schools in Los Angeles to plant and care for trees on their campuses.

The project culmination – a beautiful, shady campus – creates a living laboratory that empowers the school community, offers outdoor educational opportunities for students and dramatically improves the learning environment.

Learn about TreePeople's 2009/10 Campus Forestry efforts here.

Campus Forestry in action

View this informative video to see how TreePeople helped Short Avenue Elementary School give its campus a green face-lift.

Why campus plantings are important

Most school campuses in L.A. are paved with hard blacktop – which absorbs heat in warm months and causes stormwater runoff in the rainy season. Replacing blacktop with healthy trees helps cool campuses and prevent runoff. It also offers students a healthier and safer place to learn and play. (Read more about the benefits of trees.)

Curriculum-based projects

Campus planting projects can be carried out in conjunction with a service-learning based curriculum developed by TreePeople. The curriculum – based on California State Standards – transforms the planting project into a rich and meaningful, six-month learning experience for students.

For elementary schools, we offer a curriculum called "Schoolyard Explorers." Middle and high schools receive a curriculum titled "Campus Cool Down." 

Follow-up tree care

TreePeople is committed to ensuring every tree we plant not just survives but thrives. By teaching volunteers to recognize and attend to the needs of their trees, we dramatically increase the chance of the trees’ survival to maturity. For at least five years after a tree is planted we are continually monitoring its progress and engaging communities to provide the care a tree needs until it is established. Planting a tree is just the first step. Help us keep our trees happy and healthy.

If you have questions about caring for campus trees, please contact Mark Montygierd at mmontygierd@treepeople.org or (213) 458-2362. To learn how to lead tree care projects, register for a Tree Care Coordinator training by contacting Linda Eremita at training@treepeople.org or (818) 623-4878.

For tips on caring for your own trees at home, visit our page on how to care for a tree.

Get inspired!

Visit the website for Jefferson Elementary School's 2005 planting project to see how trees transformed their campus.

Read a letter of appreciation from a teacher at Mayall Elementary. 

For more information please contact Julie Prejean at jprejean@treepeople.org or (818) 203-2178.