Earth Protect Blog

1. WHAT IS THE MILLION TREES L.A. INITIATIVE?
Mayor Villaraigosa is committed to making Los Angeles the largest, cleanest, and greenest city in the United States. The Million Trees L.A. (MTLA) Initiative will accomplish this through public-private partnerships that will plant one million trees throughout Los Angeles.

2. WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS WHEN IT SEEMS THERE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS FOR THE CITY TO BE DOING?
It is important to enhance the natural environment. Planting and maintaining trees will help clean the air, clean up polluted urban runoff, help make streets and buildings cooler and provide an all-around more livable environment. Planting trees will also increase property values, absorb noise, and reduce stress and crime.

3. HOW MANY TREES ARE THERE PRESENTLY IN LOS ANGELES?
Through a recent tree canopy study, we have learned that Los Angeles has 21% tree canopy cover, which is below the national average of 27%. We hope to bring our tree canopy cover up to the national average, through this Initiative.

4. HOW WILL THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATE?
The public is encouraged to participate in this campaign by planting trees and informing the City of threes plantings, volunteering time to tree planting organizations, and/or by donating to the Million Trees L.A. Initiative. This can be easily accomplished by logging onto our website at www.milliontreesla.org or by calling 3-1-1 and providing the information.

5. IF I PLANT A TREE IN MY YARD, WILL IT COUNT?
Yes, as long as you live in the City of Los Angeles. In order for your tree to count, please make sure that you call 3-1-1 or include the information on our website at www.milliontreesla.org .

6. HOW WILL WE KNOW WHAT TREES TO PLANT?
You may plant any tree you wish. However, you may want to check out the www.milliontreesla.org website for helpful tree-related information including a link to free trees issued by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) to its residential customers.

7. WHAT IS THE SIZE OF TREES YOU WILL PLANT?
Tree sizes range from seedlings to 15 gallon.

8. WHERE DO YOU PLAN TO PLANT THE TREES?
Each tree planted will contribute to the success of the Million Trees L.A. Initiative and assist in improving the City's overall environment. There is a tree canopy analysis being conducted, which will provide scientific information as to where more trees would provide the great environmental benefit to the City.

9. WILL THE CITY SUPPLY ME WITH TREES TO PLANT?
Residential electric customers of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) qualify for free trees through the LADWP GreenLA program. For more information, please go to www.ladwp.com/ladwp/areaHomeIndex.isp?contentid=LADWP_GREENLA_SCID or go to the www.milliontreesla.org website for the link to the same site.
If you receive trees through this process, please make sure to go to the www.milliontreesla.org website or call 3-1-1 to report your tree plantings.

The City of Los Angeles is coordinating a larger scale planting effort through the Department of Public Works. If you are unable to qualify for trees through the LADWP GreenLA program, but would like to purchase and plant a tree on your own property and have it count towards the MTLA Initiative, please do so and report it to 3-1-1- or through the www.milliontreesla.org website.

10. HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO MEET THE ONE MILLION TREES GOAL?
It depends on the active participation of our partners - the community, business groups, and individuals.

11. HOW CAN I FIND OUT ABOUT TREE-RELATED EVENTS HAPPENING IN THE CITY?
Please check out the Tree Calendar of Events found in the www.milliontreesla.org website.

12. HOW DO I CONNECT WITH A TREE PLANTING ORGANIZATION?
Please go to the www.milliontreesla.org Calendar of Events and/or Resource listing for list of some local tree planting organizations in need of volunteers.

13. WHAT KIND OF TREES WILL YOU BE PLANTING?
We will be encouraging the planting of California friendly trees; that is, trees that are adapted to our semi-arid climate and will not use too much water. There have been a lot of questions about Palm Trees. We have no intention of eliminating or replacing Palm Trees. If people choose to plant them, they will count as part of the Million Trees LA program. Palm Trees have cultural and historic value in this city and they add to its aesthetic and visual texture. We are not targeting replacement of any trees; rather, we want to plant new trees where there are none currently. We want to bring shade to areas that don't have any. While there is no current plan to put Palm Trees in those targeted areas, our program is not planning to replace or eliminate them where they are now. Further, we will work with the communities of Los Angeles to determine what trees they would like in their neighborhoods.

14. HOW WILL TREES PLANTED BE MAINTAINED?
We have budgeted for initial maintenance, to survival age, the trees that will be planted on public spaces. Funding streams for long term maintenance of trees in public spaces are being developed and are projected to be in place by the time the new trees will need it.