Meet Andy Lipkis of TreePeople in Beverly Hills

Today we’d like to introduce you to Andy Lipkis.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
While attending camp in the San Bernardino Mountains, I learned that certain tree species were dying because of the air pollution.

Gathering my friends, family, and community, I planned and led a tree planting in order to replace those dying trees with a species that was smog resilient.

From this event, TreePeople was born, and it’s why we believe that everyone can make a difference.

Has it been a smooth road?
It has been a challenge to educate people about the ever-increasing threat of climate change and how trees can actually help protect us. Although LA is rich in natural beauty, we’ve over-paved this paradise.

Many LA neighborhoods are almost completely covered in asphalt and concrete and sorely lacking trees and nature. On hot days, scorching surfaces bake in the heat, endangering people’s health. Our streams and rivers are paved over so that when it rains, water can’t soak into the ground where it could add to our aquifers.

Instead, it runs off into our ocean, sweeping trash and pollution onto our beaches. We waste precious dollars trying to fix these problems with even more building. But the answer is simple: bring nature back to our city streets and neighborhoods, and let nature do its job.

To thrive in a hotter, dryer future, the people of LA need to be shaded by ample tree canopy and have a clean, reliable local water supply. The good news is that we all can play a role in planting and caring for trees, restoring healthy soil, conserving water, and harvesting the rain.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with TreePeople – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
TreePeople inspires and supports the people of LA to come together to plant and care for trees, harvest the rain, and renew depleted landscapes. We unite with communities to grow greener, shadier and more water-secure city at homes, neighborhoods, schools and in the local mountains. We work with volunteer leaders using our unique Citizen Forester model, and we influence government agencies for a healthy, thriving Los Angeles.

What I’m most proud of and what sets us apart is the fact that we have this beautiful park in Coldwater Canyon Park, which we have restored and maintained to its natural state; and our process for keeping this park thriving is a model for the world.

In addition, the park has been deemed as a Certified Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), America’s largest wildlife conservation and education organization.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
What I like about LA is how people have become passionate environmentalists who want to help to take care of their city. We have grown a vast network of volunteers and launched a Citizen Forester program – empowering local Angelenos to stand up for trees and combat climate change.

But our work isn’t done. In fact, we have more to do as trees are constantly under threat from wildfires, neglect, and unnecessary removal. We have to protect trees because they provide infrastructure to the city from filtering the water we receive, to cooling urban areas where heat can be deadly.

Contact Info:

• Address: 12601 Mulholland Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
• Website: https://www.treepeople.org/
• Phone: (818) 753-4600
• Email: info@treepeople.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/treepeople_org/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TreePeopleorg/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/treepeople_org
• Other: https://blog.treepeople.org/

Image Credit:
TreePeople Staff Photographer Adam Thomas

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.