The distribution of urban forests in California reveals that under-resourced cities and neighborhoods tend to have fewer trees due to discriminatory urban planning and investment decisions. Planting trees provides many human health and environmental benefits, including protection from extreme heat – one of the deadliest impacts of climate change. However, increasing the tree canopy in Los Angeles is challenging because of its extensive roadways, semi-arid climate, and diversity in income.

To help address this, LCI and the Los Angeles Urban Forest Equity Collective provide specific, practical solutions for community members, local groups, and municipal leaders to improve health outcomes. The following links offer a step-by-step, decision-making framework that centers equity in tree planting and presents public engagement strategies developed in partnership with community-based organizations, designed to give a voice to residents.

• Los Angeles Urban Forest Equity: Assessment, Tools, and Recommendations (main report)
• Hyperlocal implementation strategies for two Los Angeles neighborhoods — Central Alameda and Sylmar — to demonstrate how these urban forest equity tools can be used.
• Los Angeles Urban Forest Equity Design Guidebook, a practical guide to using a new method of classifying urban space considering levels of investment as well as benefits and tradeoffs of varied urban forest equity solutions.
• Los Angeles Urban Forest Equity Community Action Toolkit, a collection of resources ranging from sample fliers to community surveys that community leaders and advocates can use to mobilize residents to support urban forest equity.

Stay up to date with the Los Angeles Urban Forest Equity Collective by clicking here.