- Trees help with stormwater management
- Trees help reduce the urban heat island effect
- Trees cool the surrounding air through transpiration
- Bird biodiversity is increased with a higher % of tree canopy
- Trees reduce crime
- Trees reduce stress
- Trees increase positive social interactions
- Trees aid in the overall impression of well-being
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Los Angeles is home to 3.8 million people, all who need access to fresh air and green landscapes. Much has been written about our city’s unequal distribution of trees. It is our belief that the city bears the greatest responsibility for providing these valuable resources to the people. Lack of resources for tree-planting and maintenance is one of the biggest hurdles low-income communities face. Area NGOs help in many ways, but they don’t do it for free. Arranging for 5 years (see comments with respect to 5, not 3 years of maintenance on The Ordinance page) of tree care for new saplings in a neighborhood is not only expensive but time consuming for residents who may be living precariously to begin with.
We hope to shed light on the fact that this Ordinance collects fees that are specifically intended to be used to plant and maintain trees in low-income communities (see the 1. DISADVANTAGED AND LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES & 2. LOW CANOPY AREAS sections of the Ordinance on The Ordinance page). In addition to amending the Ordinance, what is needed is an audit of all fees collected so far. City officials should be pressured to make this happen.
