Earth Day Community Planting Cal Fire 2/ Project 101 NoHo

Earth Day marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970. 

On Saturday, April 23, LABT celebrated Earth Day working with a North Hollywood Neighborhood to plant trees. This was phase 3 of a 4-phase ongoing planting of 340 trees in North Hollywood.  

This event was funded by CalFire (California Department of Forestry) and the support of Paul Krekorian, Councilmember of CD2.

We had volunteers from the community who joined us and were very excited to be planting in their own community. Youtubers livestreamed the event.  

Volunteers received a demonstration on how to properly plant a tree. After the demonstration, the volunteers divided into groups and were assigned and LABT supervisor to go plant.

The trees we planted that day were Australian Willows, Chinese Pistache, Crape Myrtle, and Chinese Flames. These trees will provide oxygen and shade, improve air quality, conserve water, preserve soil, and support wildlife.

Earth Day Public School Tree Planting

For 30 years LABT has been planting trees at public schools and we continue to do so. 

Invited by the principal herself, Ms. Allyson Camell on April 22^nd, 2022, we (LABT) went to Roscoe Elementary School in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles and planted a total of 7 trees with seven different 4^th/5^th grade classes. Approximately 150 students participated in the tree planting event. 

We planted 3 Crape Myrtles and 4 Australians Willows around campus near the playground areas. The Crape Myrtles we planted were deciduous trees meaning that the trees will lose their leaves during the fall. Australian Willows are evergreen trees, and they will keep their leaves all year round. 

Each class was presented a poster board with information about the trees planted. At schools the asphalt playgrounds radiate the heat and are higher temperatures are created on the playground.

Over 30 years ago, HBT A.K.A LABT evolved through the neighborhood watch programs in the Hollywood community to clean up our streets and remove gang driven graffiti.

As of the following years from 2017 through 2021, HBT has averaged a total of 35,000 to 45,000 location (site visits), sites include private businesses, homes, and Los Angeles City property. At each site there is supervisor(s) who will abate the graffiti(s) using the resources such as paint, pressure washing, and Chemical solvent. 

The HBT/LABT program has actively engaged with the partnership of five LAPD divisions within our boundaries for graffiti abatement by assisting mass amounts of graffiti removal with the supervision of law enforcement for everyone’s safety. The organization has had a 30-year span of experience activating community service workers to remove graffiti, including the engagement with youth through recruitment, training, and employment to provide income/experience. The organization has removed community-based graffiti within City Council Districts 4 and 13 and will continue to pursue the goal of beautifying the Los Angeles Community.

Abatement Information Report (Yearly):

Year           Total Locations                 Total Sq Ft

2017                34,966                         1,925,291

2018                37,434                         2,043,035

2019                45,975                         2,365,708

2020                38,125                         2,154,874

2021                39,186                         2,174,512