TreePeople

From Summer Camp Idea to Urban Forest Movement

Andy Lipkis was 15 years old at summer camp in 1970 when he heard troubling news. Los Angeles smog was drifting into the San Bernardino Mountains and killing the forest. He and his fellow campers responded by tearing up a parking lot and planting trees that could tolerate pollution. Three years later, at age 18, Lipkis founded TreePeople. The organization found its permanent home here in 1977 when the Los Angeles Fire Department relocated from this mountain patrol station.

The grounds tell that history. The original 1920s fire tower still stands near the parking area. Rangers once rode horseback through these hills watching for fires, cutting the trails that visitors walk today. Fire hoses dried on the tower that now overlooks the nursery where volunteers raise thousands of seedlings for planting across the region.

Walking the Campus

Park at the intersection where Coldwater Canyon Avenue meets Mulholland Drive. The parking grove itself demonstrates principles TreePeople teaches. Light-colored pavement reflects heat rather than absorbing it. Permeable surfaces let rainwater soak into the ground instead of rushing into storm drains.

Stone staircases descend to the main campus. Trails wind through mature trees planted decades ago by fire crews and early volunteers. Some paths accommodate strollers, others climb more steeply. All provide shade and relative quiet despite being minutes from the Valley floor. On clear days, the San Fernando Valley spreads below with the San Gabriel Mountains beyond.

The Urban Watershed Garden compares two approaches side by side. One section shows conventional concrete infrastructure that sends rainwater racing into storm drains. The adjacent section demonstrates sustainable alternatives using permeable paving, rain gardens, and bioswales that capture and clean water naturally. School groups participate in demonstrations. Adults find practical ideas they can apply at home.

Sustainable Design in Practice

The Conference Center earned LEED Platinum certification through features visitors can examine. A 216,000-gallon underground cistern captures roof runoff for landscape irrigation. Rain chains direct water from gutters into gravel collection basins where it percolates into soil. These systems work year-round, not just for show.

The on-site nursery grows seedlings for planting projects throughout Los Angeles County. Since founding, TreePeople has coordinated millions of tree plantings, from the Million Tree Campaign before the 1984 Olympics to ongoing neighborhood projects in heat-vulnerable communities.

Programs and Participation

The park opens free to the public from 6am to 8pm daily. Visitors can explore independently or join structured programs. Educational eco-tours for schools cost $10 per student and adapt content for elementary through high school ages. Kids learn about trees, water, and urban ecology through hands-on activities and trail walks.

Monthly moonlight hikes start with outdoor musical performances at sunset before heading into Coldwater Canyon and neighboring Wilacre Park after dark. Guides lead three difficulty levels so all ages can participate. Cost runs $20 for adults, $10 for kids under 15.

Family tours happen on first Sundays at $10 per person. The 1.5-hour program includes watershed demonstrations, native plant identification, and seedling planting. Participants can picnic at tables after the tour.

The S. Mark Taper Foundation Amphitheater hosts concerts and cultural events in a 150-seat hillside venue. Built in 1997 with support from donors including Johnny Carson, Steve Martin, and Bonnie Raitt, the space underwent renovation from 2020-2022 with upgraded lighting and sound. Access involves stairs and mulched trails. The 2023 reopening featured Beck, Courtney Barnett, and Van Dyke Parks.

Hands-On Involvement

Weekly volunteer events welcome individuals and groups for tree planting, park maintenance, and mountain restoration. TreePeople trains volunteer supervisors in both urban and mountain forestry. Corporate teams can arrange custom volunteer days through the Teams for Trees program.

The organization’s impact extends across Los Angeles County through community forester training, school campus greening, and government partnerships on watershed management. The headquarters demonstrates concepts like rainwater capture and native plant gardens that participants then apply in their own neighborhoods.