Our Urban Forest: Planning for Trees Workshop
Saturday, February 10
10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, 3901 West Adams Blvd. L.A. 90018

Koreatown Youth and Community Center (KYCC), the South LA Tree Coalition (SLAT), and Council District 10 invite community members to a workshop where you can provide your thoughts on our neighborhood’s trees.

The workshop is part of an effort by the County and City of Los Angeles, who are partnering to create Urban Forest Management Plans (UFMP). These UFMP plans will outline the vision for how we can protect and maintain trees and identify necessary resources, policies, and programs to grow our urban forest and keep it healthy for future generations. Please consider being part of the process by joining in at this neighborhood workshop.

• Everyone is invited, bring your friends and family.
• Share your vision for the future of our urban forest and what your neighborhood needs to grow.
• Snacks and refreshments will be provided and everyone who comes can enter a drawing to win a prize!

Tree Equity is part of the conversation.

Trees are an important part of the City’s infrastructure and a key strategy for protecting residents from urban issues of heat and poor air quality, especially in light of the climate crisis. In Los Angeles, the neighborhoods most impacted by these issues often also have the least tree canopy cover.

The Urban Forest Management Plans will include strategies for tree canopy equity throughout the City. This strategy will consider and include not only priority areas for tree planting and establishment care investments but also tree preservation and maintenance recommendations to ensure existing trees continue to grow and support the City’s tree canopy. Many Los Angeles neighborhoods with low tree canopy have physical limitations (such as narrow parkways or overhead wires) that impact the types of trees that can be planted in public spaces.

They are aided in this harmful work by elected officials and civil servants operating under the shadow of a massive Federal racketeering investigation. Most of these property sales, land use hearings, evictions and demolitions happen quickly and are only observed by members of the “city family” and a small community of tenants’ rights advocates and historic preservationists.

But every once in a while, the forces of destruction target a Los Angeles landmark that’s so significant, the whole world takes notice.

by Kim Cooper, The Esotouric Blog

Full story here.

One of the key partnerships that contributed to the success of the policy was with CIM Development. CIM Development visited with UNNC, the local Neighborhood group located at Western and the 10 Fwy. During the meeting, CIM Development showed their commitment to being a good neighbor and preserving the natural environment in the area.

As a result of this partnership, CIM Development made the decision to reduce 5 parking spaces and saved 10 live coast oaks as part of a development project. This decision not only preserved the natural environment but also supported the community’s desire to maintain a green and sustainable area.

The UNNC Tree Policy was officially adopted in March 2013 and has since served as a guiding framework for preserving trees during any construction projects. The policy has been successful in ensuring that potential developers are aware of the community’s commitment to preserving trees and the environment. Additionally, it has made it easier for UNNC to identify and work with developers who share the same values and principles.

The official UNNC Tree Policy can be viewed here: UNNC-Official-Tree-Policy-2023.pdf

The City of the Future has a chance to honor its promise of the past.

FULL STORY: https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/1-spring/feature/los-angeles-reimagined

More than 12,000 mature trees in Los Angeles may be spared the ax after advocates of tree preservation prevailed in court.

The recent decision by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge found that city leaders had failed to adequately consider the cumulative effects of removing thousands of trees along city streets during its 30-year sidewalk revamp project. The judge has effectively blocked further tree removal until the issue is remedied.

Celebrating their victory, plaintiffs are hopeful the city will work to find solutions that preserve such trees, especially as the plants become increasingly important in the face of more frequent and more extreme heat.

by Grace Toohey, LA Times

Read FULL ARTICLE: “L.A. wanted to cut down 12,000 trees. Advocates stood in the way” at Los Angeles Times online.

Download our flyers here:

1. United Neighborhoods Neighborhood Council (UNNC) Tree Canopy Inventory [PDF] :

2. United Neighborhoods Neighborhood Council (UNNC) Treekeeper Flyer [PDF] :

More info on the UNNC web site here: https://www.unnc.org/2022/11/03/treekeeper-program/

In 2019, Mayor Eric Garcetti unveiled an ambitious plan to plant 90,000 trees in Los Angeles by 2021 as part of L.A.’s Green New Deal.

by Jaimie Ding, LA Times

FULL STORY: https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2022-06-21/l-a-wants-to-plant-90-000-trees-but-it-needs-your-help

(Photo by Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)