Glasgow Takeaway: Trees Are A Unifying Solution to Climate Crisis

After a week in Glasgow, Scotland, for the 26th United Nations Conference of Parties (COP 26), the annual climate conference, I’m even more passionate about the work TreePeople does every day to build community resilience. More than ever, I am convinced that we need trees and we need them now.  On day two of the…

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Let’s Green Riverside – TreePeople Returns to the Inland Empire

In the summer of 1973, the first stirrings of what would become TreePeople began in the mountains above Riverside, California. Those early efforts by teenagers to help protect and restore the San Bernardino National Forest soon blossomed into Southern California’s largest environmental movement—mobilizing 3 million volunteers to plant 3 million trees. Earlier this month, TreePeople…

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Drought, downpours, and debris

An update from the TreePeople Land Trust It finally happened. After a record-breaking 212 days without rain, the skies above Sacramento roiled with dark clouds as an atmospheric river emptied 5.4 inches of rain onto the thirsty landscape–breaking yet another record for the city. The dichotomy between these extremes, drought and downpour, results in a host of…

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Tree Planting in Lynwood Begins!

If you asked TreePeople staff what they remember most from our tree planting events it would probably be the smiles of children getting the chance to play in the dirt, or the stories of community members on why they chose to spend their weekends volunteering and giving back. But what happens behind the scenes to…

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New Trees Take Root in Watts

It’s 8:30 on a Saturday morning. The late summer sun beats down on a grid of blacktop. It’s already hot enough that the stop sign at the end of the block is almost hidden by a mirage. But something is different about today. Trees line the sidewalk on both sides of the street, waiting to…

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The Western Drought Hits Our Local Mountains

Spring and early summer are typically the best time of year to experience the incredible beauty of our local mountains. From the charismatic Humboldt lily to the humble larkspur, the rugged lands surrounding the LA Basin teem with unique and brilliant life – but this year was different. The weather station at Van Nuys Airport…

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TreePeople Brings Environmental Education Into The Classroom

Supporting the next generation of environmental leaders has been at the forefront of TreePeople’s mission for almost 50 years — ever since we were founded on the dreams of a 15-year-old boy trying to change the world. That spirit is still growing strong today.  As the new school year starts and teachers and students return…

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HOW-TO: Install a Rain Chain

Rainwater is a precious resource in Los Angeles and the best way to harvest it is to start with your home. Many of our homes have gutters and downspouts installed that direct vital rainwater away from our gardens and directly to the street and storm drains. A great alternative to this is to install a…

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TreePeople distributes free fruit trees to residents living in “food desert”

By Jean-Paul Renaud TreePeople distributed free fruit trees on August 14 to 250 households in Huntington Park, which suffers from some of the worst pollution, lowest shade coverage, and some of the most limited access to healthy food in Los Angeles County. TreePeople staff members and volunteers distributed mango, lemon, orange, and pomegranate trees to…

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HOW-TO: Create Your Own Superbloom

Nursery Manager, Jack Smith shares great tips on how to create your own golden poppy patch in your yard. Here’s some key things to know: Be sure to hand-weed any invasive plants to ensure enough space for your native flowers and place them in the trash so they don’t spread more seeds. Removing invasives helps…

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THE CHAPARRAL NEEDS YOUR HELP

It is 2 am on an unpleasantly warm but predictably unnerving autumn night. The Santa Ana winds are roaring through the hills and valleys of Southern California. Throughout Los Angeles, residents are on edge. It is not the wind that they are afraid of, even though it does have a role to play. It is…

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HOW-TO: Grow Your Own Native Plants

Nursery Manager, Jack Smith and Biological Science Interns Brenna Cheyney and Emily Bowyer recently hosted a webinar to share tips and tricks on how to collect and plant seeds and acorns, the importance of adding native plants and trees to your landscape, and much more! Here’s some key takeaways from the discussion: When collecting seeds…

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