This August, AnswerConnectpatnered with TreePeople to advance its school greening program. Founded in 1973, TreePeople has worked with three million volunteers to plant over three million trees. That includes 30,000 trees on school campuses. The school greening program aims to protect local students from extreme heat, air pollution and polluted water. 

Find out more about the importance of school greening below.

Young boy watering tree saplings through TreePeople project

What is school greening?

School greening brings together parents, students, teachers, administrators and school district leadership. Together with TreePeople, they plant and maintain tree growth in schools. The organisation plans to accelerate and expand the program. That’s in part to respond to increased extreme heat in urban neighbourhoods, many with schools that lack adequate tree canopy.

TreePeople formally partners with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). They work with other school districts to catalyse greening schools as a priority, too, including those in the Inland Empire.

Group of schoolchildren planting trees together

Why is school greening beneficial?

  • Extreme heat has become a growing issue in places like Los Angeles. Tree planting creates shade, which helps reduce the dangers of excessive heat.
  • Big cities like Los Angeles face a lot of air and water pollution. Tree planting can reduce CO2 emissions and increase stormwater capture. This improves air and water quality in the city.
  • Tree planting can improve public health and reduce the consumption of natural resources through urban heat island mitigation.
TreePeople volunteers working with schoolchildren planting trees
  • It creates a sense of community by getting many people involved.
  • Trees can improve mental health and increase students’ academic achievements.
  • Tree planting can empower students and teachers to improve their local environment. This encourages long-term care for the community.
  • Through hands-on tree planting programs, students gain experiential knowledge.
TreePeople volunteeers planting a tree sapling in a school yard

Leading through science and research

The organisation has a unique approach to realising solutions and is committed to:

  1. Creating actionable science-based policies and programs
  2. Advocating for public funding and support from individuals
  3. Developing partnerships that put people first
  4. Implementing nature-based solutions to make a difference on the ground. 

Click here to read more about our tree planting initiatives.

Images courtesy of TreePeople.