Today we’d like to introduce you to Carlos Campero
Hi Carlos, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ve been at the helm of City Plants for six months. I’m an Arborist, and a 1st generation Chicano from South Central LA who loves his City and loves Trees. I have worked in the non-profit sector for most of my adult life, and am blessed to be part of City Plants. City Plants is a non-profit housed in the City of Los Angeles Board of Public Works office. Our organization is funded by the LA Dept of Water & Power. We partner with the Mayor’s office and the Office of Forest Management of the City of Los Angeles. We were originally a program of the LADWP called Trees For A Green LA, which later became Million Trees LA and later City Plants. City Plants’ mission is to grow a greener Los Angeles by engaging with residents of the City to improve our climate by increasing our tree canopy cover. Our Vision is that people in every neighborhood have equal access to trees and their benefits: clean air, energy efficiency, better health, cooling shade, and friendlier, more vibrant communities. We work with a collaborative of Non-Profit agencies that also focus on Urban Forestry efforts within the City of Los Angeles.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not always been a smooth road. Funding can be a challenge, and getting the word out about the importance of addressing climate change now with a mindset of what is going to happen in 20 and 30 years from now is challenging. People are concerned with today, so telling them we need to plant with an eye on what tree species will thrive in 20 years doesn’t always make sense. Educating and engaging with the public to ensure they plant the trees we provide for their homes promptly can be a challenge at times. This is why we focus on those 1:1 interactions at our tree adoption events so they understand the importance of getting their tree in the ground and watered consistently. Messaging is also very important. We have to communicate “The Why” effectively. Communicating that to the public as well as to funders is key to successfully impacting climate change and equitable access to canopy cover for all residents of the City of Los Angeles.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about City Plants?
City Plants is an organization that believes in collaboration. We don’t have all of the answers, but strive to connect, and be connected to the people and organizations that do, or together with our support can get the answers. We work with departments within the City to identify Best management practices, and how our non-profit can be a bridge between City departments, the public, and other like-minded non-profit partners. Our goal is to get trees in the ground and get trees to the communities that are underinvested or lack tree canopy. We facilitate getting trees to residents of the City of LA through our partnership with the LA Conservation Corps tree delivery crews. Residents of the City of LA can receive up to 7 free 5g trees for their residence free of charge. You can visit our website cityplants.org and request trees, or look up when and where we will host a tree adoption event. You can also volunteer at community tree-planting events throughout the City of LA. Our goal is to plant trees strategically so that we reduce energy consumption, while also increasing canopy cover to reduce heat.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
You can donate to our cause by visiting our website cityplants.org and making a donation. You can also join our roster of community volunteers by signing up through our website. We often find that residents who volunteer and invest their sweat equity keep coming back. It’s fulfilling to know you helped plant a tree that will give you clean air, sequester carbon, provide shade and beauty for years to come.
Pricing:
- all of our trees are free to the public so long as they are residents of the City of LA and or customers of LADWP
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Cityplants.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cityplantsla/
