California State University, Los Angeles
IN-49: Innovation C

Cal State LA is currently engaged in a program to plant 1,500 trees across campus with local native and climate appropriate tree species, including coast live oak, toyon, black walnut, elderberry, laurel sumac, and hollyleaf cherry. The University is partnered with a local non-profit, North East Trees, and was successfully awarded a $1.4M CAL FIRE Urban and Community Forestry Grant in 2020. This project supports the goals of the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32) by providing environmental services and cost-effective solutions to the needs of a disadvantaged urban community. North East Trees will be responsible for planting all trees with the support of student volunteers throughout 2022-23, with the University pledging to both irrigate and maintain all trees planted on campus in perpetuity.

To support the tree program, Cal State LA has created a "Sustainable Landscapes and Tree Care Plan" to provide an overall framework for maintaining the urban landscape of Cal State LA with policies and preferences that support the university’s sustainability goals. The plan's vision is to "enhance the quality of life of the campus community by moving beyond strictly aesthetic considerations to a focus on high and multi-functional landscape choices. Promoting safety, supporting ecological systems, improving aesthetics, and providing a living laboratory for education and research are top priorities of this plan."

Cal State LA's Sustainable Landscapes and Tree Care Plan covers Landscape Policies (Plant and Tree Selection, Integrated Pest Management, Water Use Management, Routine Tree Maintenance, Tree Maintenance during Construction, Maintenance of Newly Planted Trees, Tree and Stump Removal, Protection and Preservation), Responsible Parties (Landscape Advisory Committee, Facilities Services, Faculty and Student Managed Spaces, Contractors), Campus Tree Program, and Communication Strategy.

The University has also created a Landscape Advisory Committee, with a mission to create a safe, healthy, visually appealing and ecologically diverse campus landscape that demonstrates to students, faculty, staff, and visitors the environmental and social benefits of sustainable landscapes.

To commemorate Arbor Day on April 29, 2022, Cal State LA students, with assistance from Facilities Services and Associated Students, Inc., planted 47 trees throughout the core of campus. The student volunteers learned how to plant the trees and about native tree species that support local biodiversity. The event is part of the University’s partnership with North East Trees to mitigate climate change by planting trees at Cal State LA and surrounding communities.
The Resilience Assessment in Cal State LA ‘s Climate Action Plan identifies the major climate hazards for the University as “extreme heat, wildfires and reduced air quality, drought conditions, and heavier storms and flooding.” The robust tree canopy being planted at Cal State LA will address these hazards by providing critical shade and evaporative cooling benefits, and improves air quality, stormwater management, energy efficiency, and overall public health benefits.