here is what you see pulling into TreePeople, which is located up on the ridgeline between Beverly Hills and Studio City- it’s like a tree-lover’s Disneyland
As you might know if you have been reading even just parts of my blog- I am not only a huge fan of TreePeople– but they also went above and beyond the norm in helping me get 7 trees planted on San Pedro Street last December. I initially heard about them while volunteering for “put-a-bed-together-day” next door at the new Downtown Women’s Center, which opened soon after I moved into the neighborhood. I heard some of the other volunteers talking about TreePeople- and I knew right away that I had to find out more about this organization, because I am a tree-person too.
a nice fellow name John lead me to the main building and showed me around the property a bit
Even now, after my first tree-planting has long since wrapped up- I still feel connected to TreePeople, and I imagine I will continue to be for a long time to come. Because the trees I planted are in an urban industrial district- I needed to get concrete cut in order create the tree wells that the trees would sit in. Cutting concrete requires all sorts of permits from the City and specific fees and contracted work not needed if one were to plant trees in say, a dirt parkway. Unpaving Los Angeles is something that TreePeople is actively working with communities throughout the region to do. Going from a concrete environment to a more permeable one, helps restore the land, allowing rainwater to fill our water tables underground.
Treeperson, Andrew- shows me their greenhouse where they propagate trees and other plants
Last week I spoke at an event they hold called, Third Thursday about removing concrete and my personal experience in doing this.
Ryan, from TreePeople interviewing me about my experiences in Skid Row planting trees
This was the first time that I have visited the TreePeople headquarters and boy- was I blow away by what a beautiful compound they have!
In addition to the hiking trails that encircle their property, TreePeople also has several instructional gardens and environmentally friendly designed structures and systems set up to teach people how to create more sustainable green spaces which capture the maximum amount of rainwater possible.
Treeperson, Keith explains how this typical American garden is a water hog…
…while this water-conserving garden is more sustainable on account of the native plants chosen, the rain barrel, rain spout and swail (not shown)
this structure demonstrates the effects of trash on our precious oceans- when litter gets in our storm drains it eventually flows out to the sea
I fell in love with this tree- it is a Strawberry Tree, native to Spain- look at that gorgeous red bark!
TreePeople headquarters- just go there.
Trees on San Pedro Street Project 