TreePeople

TreePeople
Name	TreePeople
Formation	1973
Founder	Murray F. Hawkins, Andy Lipkis
Type	Nonprofit
Headquarters	Los Angeles, California

TreePeople is a Los Angeles–based nonprofit environmental organization focused on urban forestry, watershed restoration, and community resilience in the Santa Monica Mountains and Greater Los Angeles region. Founded in 1973 by Murray F. Hawkins and Andy Lipkis, the organization has engaged with public agencies, civic groups, and academic institutions to plant trees, manage stormwater, and provide environmental education. TreePeople works across municipal jurisdictions, collaborating with local governments, utility districts, and nonprofit partners to integrate green infrastructure into urban planning.

History

TreePeople was established during the early 1970s environmental movement by founders including Murray F. Hawkins and Andy Lipkis, emerging contemporaneously with organizations such as Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council, and The Wilderness Society. Early campaigns targeted reforestation of burned slopes in the Santa Monica Mountains and citizen-driven tree planting in neighborhoods across Los Angeles County. Over subsequent decades TreePeople expanded programmatic scope to include watershed stewardship, aligning with initiatives by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state entities like the California Department of Water Resources. Collaborations with municipal actors such as the City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, and regional bodies including the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California shaped its operational model. The organization’s evolution reflects broader shifts in urban sustainability policy exemplified by plans like the Los Angeles River Revitalization Master Plan and the rise of green infrastructure paradigms promoted by institutions such as the Urban Land Institute.

Mission and Programs

TreePeople’s mission centers on cultivating environmental stewardship through tree planting, stormwater capture, and community resilience projects. Core programs have included large-scale planting campaigns coordinated with partners such as the National Park Service, California Coastal Commission, and local school districts like the Los Angeles Unified School District. Technical initiatives deploy approaches from urban forestry practice promoted by the International Society of Arboriculture and hydrologic design methods used by the American Society of Civil Engineers. TreePeople operates demonstration sites and pilot projects that interface with infrastructure programs funded by entities such as the California Natural Resources Agency and the Green New Deal-aligned municipal policies in Los Angeles City Council districts.

Education and Community Outreach

Education programs serve K–12 students, volunteers, and municipal staff through curricula and workshops developed in partnership with institutions including University of California, Los Angeles, University of Southern California, and community colleges like Los Angeles City College. Outreach activities leverage networks with neighborhood councils, civic groups such as TreePeople alumni associations, and environmental education organizations like California Native Plant Society and Audubon California. TreePeople’s training programs often mirror best practices from the National Wildlife Federation and professional certifications aligned with the Society of American Foresters.

Urban Forestry and Ecosystem Services

TreePeople applies urban forestry techniques to enhance ecosystem services—air quality improvement, heat-island mitigation, carbon sequestration, and stormwater infiltration—paralleling research from NASA Earth science programs and studies by the Environmental Defense Fund. Projects integrate species guidance from the California Invasive Plant Council and canopy assessment methods used in research at Stanford University and University of California, Berkeley. Collaborations with municipal agencies, including the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, implement green infrastructure solutions such as bioswales and permeable landscapes consistent with guidance from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Volunteerism and Civic Engagement

Volunteer mobilization has been central since the group’s founding, coordinating thousands of volunteers in tree plantings, watershed cleanups, and urban greening events. Volunteer programs work alongside civic actors like Los Angeles Mayor offices, neighborhood councils, and community-based organizations including East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice. Engagement strategies draw from participatory planning approaches seen in projects by The Trust for Public Land and community stewardship models used by Friends of the Los Angeles River.

Partnerships and Funding

TreePeople’s partnerships span federal agencies (e.g., U.S. Forest Service), state departments (e.g., California Environmental Protection Agency), regional water agencies (e.g., Metropolitan Water District of Southern California), foundations (e.g., W.K. Kellogg Foundation), and corporate sponsors. Funding instruments have included grants from philanthropic organizations like the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, public contracts with the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Street Services, and program revenue from consultancy with municipal utilities. Academic collaborations with California State University, Northridge and Pepperdine University support applied research and monitoring.

Impact and Recognition

TreePeople has been recognized by civic and environmental institutions for contributions to urban forestry, watershed resilience, and environmental education. Awards and recognitions have come from regional bodies such as the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and environmental coalitions like the California Climate Action Network. The organization’s projects have been cited in academic literature produced by researchers at University of California, Los Angeles and policy analyses published by think tanks including the Brookings Institution. TreePeople’s legacy influences municipal canopy goals in Los Angeles and informs broader practice in urban greening across Southern California.

Category:Environmental organizations based in California Category:Organizations established in 1973