CAL FIRE-Funded HBT Tree Planting Projects in Los Angeles Area

Committed to grass roots change, the Hollywood Beautification Team works with communities across Los Angeles County on projects that range from mural painting to environmental remediation. Among grant providers for the Hollywood Beautification Team (HBT) projects has been the California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection (CAL FIRE).

One award of more than $434,000 enabled the planting of 750 trees across 13 parks. This undertaking was coordinated with the Recreation and Parks Department, which administers park properties that had lost thousands of trees over the last several years.

Another program funded through an urban forestry grant from CAL FIRE partnered with the Center for Urban Resilience (CURes) research team from Loyola Marymount University. Over a two year period, the team surveyed trees that had been planted in San Fernando Valley’s Pacoima area as a way of fighting climate change. With the trees planted in underserved neighborhoods, another aim was to mitigate urban heat island effects, while dampening noise pollution and providing air filtration.

With three species of trees planted, the HBT actively watered some and others left alone. The CURes team measured aspects of trees such as height, trunk circumference, and growing conditions (sun exposure). In addition, the health of the trees, such as percent crown missing and die-back, was recorded as a way of better understanding best practices for future plantings of the tree species.

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Benefits of Trees in Urban Communities

A county-wide environmental improvement organization, Hollywood Beautification Team has coordinated multiple projects to make Los Angeles a better place to live for nearly three decades. It plants over 1,500 trees per year, has adopted more than 140 public schools, provided employment to 2,500 youth and, painted over 2 million square feet of graffiti each year. The Hollywood Beautification Team has been part of the City’s Million Trees LA program, which aims to plant many trees across the city.

Trees play a critical role in cities considering many urban areas are expanding rapidly without proper land planning strategies, damaging forests, green areas, and landscapes. Urban trees allow city-dwellers to relax and enjoy their surroundings alongside the following benefits.

1. Prevent Flooding

Mature trees can regulate water flow which is key in lowering floods and the risk associated with natural disasters. A single mature tree can absorb up to a maximum of 450 liters each day and capture rainwater on leaf surfaces. Tree roots also reduce soil erosion and slow down the rate of water entering a city’s drainage systems. Cities whose ground surface mainly consists of impermeable materials such as concrete and tarmac are at a high risk of flash flooding after a heavy downpour.

2. Make Cities Cooler

Strategic tree placement in cities helps to lower temperatures between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius. This, in turn, helps communities to enjoy cooler temperatures and cope effectively with climate change challenges. When cities are cooler, energy bills, including the cost of air conditioning goes down. Studies have shown that the cooling effect from one tree is equivalent to 10 room-sized air conditioners.

3. Promote Healthier Urban Communities

Living near urban green spaces and the ability to access them easily helps improve urban dwellers’ well-being. For instance, cities with many trees help residents relieve their stress and lower high blood pressure.

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