The UFEC is a partnership between City Plants, the City of Los Angeles, CAPA Strategies, and numerous organizations on the ground in LA. Phase I concluded in 2021 with the completion of the Urban Forest Equity Assessment Report and Guidebook. This report explores past social and planning practices which have resulted in uneven distribution of tree canopy throughout the city, as well as stakeholder-informed recommendations for correcting disparities moving forward. The Guidebook conceptualizes urban space along three tiers: (1) areas where no site modification is needed and plantable space is readily available, (2) areas where minimal site modifications are needed, and canopy goals can be achieved with some additional resources, and (3) areas with a high proportion of paved space which would make planting particularly difficult. Tier 3 areas require drastic site modifications, and modifications to policy or existing infrastructure are needed to reach canopy equity and public health targets. Although Tier 3 sites are the most difficult to plant, these areas also have the lowest density of existing canopy, as well as disproportionate rates of social and environmental vulnerability.

We recently completed Phase II of the UFEC initiative, which emphasized deeper stakeholder engagement, developing an equity-based system for prioritizing neighborhoods for greening, and generating neighborhood greening plans. This phase yielded a suite of forest equity metrics and goals, extensive GIS analysis, and greening site designs for two high-need neighborhoods. Read the full report here.