On Tuesday, the USC Public Exchange Initiative hosted an event at Bethune Middle School announcing an upcoming $3 million greenery initiative. The Los Angeles Sanitation and Environment (LASAN) led the event as White House officials spoke of Public Exchange’s Urban Tree Initiative.
LASAN leads Los Angeles’ environmental program and initiatives, aiming to protect public health and the environment to enhance the quality of life in L.A. neighborhoods.
The plan includes planting 64 new trees around the school’s perimeter, with the possibility of hosting a community event where students and parents could contribute to planting the trees.
“This is part of a $3 million project as part of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to help put greenery around highway adjacent schools,” White House Council on Environmental Quality council member Alyssa Roberts said.
Through the IRA, one of the state-funded grants LASAN has received is titled “BeLeaf in Equity,” which is being used to plant street trees around the perimeters of highway-adjacent schools in low-canopy and disadvantaged communities.
Officials highlighted the initiative as not just bringing shade and greenery to the area, but rather saving lives in an area with minimal AC and public transportation routes, no cooling areas and high heat.
“We believe strongly that it doesn’t matter what your zip code is; you deserve a nice place to walk out of your house. You deserve cool, shady streets. Your house should not be in a place that is dangerous to you because it’s so hot,” said LASAN Tree Planting project coordinator Amy Schulenberg.
Brenda Mallory, chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, emphasized the importance of visiting heat-affected communities being worked with to see firsthand what they need.
“I think in every community, we look to find ways to actually get as close to the ground as possible, to hear what people are interested in and what seems to work,” Mallory said.
However, LASAN is not working on this alone. USC Dornsife’s Public Exchange program has initiated its involvement in the project through the Urban Tree Initiative (USC Trees).
USC Trees is an initiative committed to the equitable distribution of greenery in L.A. The organization works within the community to identify areas in need of green spaces and to create a plan to plant trees. With help from Director Monica Dean, project manager Marianna Babboni and project specialist Katie Vega, USC Trees is committed to partnering with L.A. communities to establish healthy living and expansive nature in historically urban areas.
Mallory said she often contemplates how different policies could enhance the comfortability of and provide support to various communities she comes across.
“If we’re really serious about expanding nature and access to nature and the availability of nature to all communities, what are some of the other elements, besides providing trees that are awesome?” she said.
The tree that the school aims to plant is the Australian Willow. In addition to shading students, it can also filter air pollution, which would aid the general area because it’s in a highway region.
Bethune Middle School principal Ms. Sharon Brown shared her excitement for this project and the change it will bring.
“What you guys are doing is great. I’m all for creating and helping a community where everyone feels heard at this school. We have food and even have a laundromat inside the campus for those who need it,” Brown said.