In Los Angeles, the city has started a unique program called ShadeLA, with the goal of increasing cooling infrastructure citywide. This initiative is an effort to address increasing temperatures while improving the overall quality of life through increased shaded spaces. More than 20 federal, state, and local agencies are working together on this effort. It focuses L.A. County’s Chief Sustainability Office and the County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, as well as coalitions with nonprofits like City Plants, North East Trees and TreePeople.
As you can see above, ShadeLA will be concentrating on a few key strategies to start building a better, cooler city. To maximize shade and comfort, we insist on planting large-canopy trees. We redesign bus stops with more shelter to avoid sun exposure and establish temporary cooling zones across the city. Empowering Communities ShadeLA is ambitious with its goals. It still lacks clear, measurable goals of how many trees or green structures it intends to deploy.
The Importance of Shade
Climate researchers have found that shaded areas can be up to 53 degrees cooler. Shade trees can decrease surrounding temperatures by as much as 68 to 104 degrees compared to sun-whipped hot spots. Health benefits of quality shade Quality shade more than improves one’s immediate comfort. repair, caret color, and pad, text-align 9 UV protection It can block ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure by up to 75%. In addition, research has shown that providing sufficient shade can avert more than half of emergency-room visits during extreme-heat events.
ShadeLA project co-lead Edith de Guzman, adjunct assistant professor at UCLA’s Department of Urban Planning. She very pointedly explained just how important this initiative is to our urban communities. She stated, “The climate that made L.A. so idyllic and attractive in the 20th century is now becoming deadly for many of our neighbors.” This testimony emphasizes the need for urgency to combat urban heat and expand shaded areas in our city.
Monica Dean, another important cog in the project, emphasized the importance of coming together to raise awareness on this critical issue. “We need a lot of different people coming together to work on the issue,” she said. Her remarks reflect the collaborative spirit driving ShadeLA, which aims to unite various stakeholders in a shared mission to improve urban living conditions.
Collaboration for Lasting Change
The ShadeLA initiative has been a key area of leverage ahead of the 2028 Olympics and other international spectacles. Marcos Trinidad, TreePeople’s senior director of forestry, told us in 2020 that this is the moment to plant trees and do it right. He even argues that making long-term care for these new additions is equally important. “And we don’t need to just add shade. We need to take care of and maintain the shade we have,” he explained.
Specifically, Trinidad expressed worry about the direction of planning in the wake of ShadeLA. “What’s missing right now is a firm commitment from the city and Olympic organizers—a number, a budget, something we can leverage,” he stated. His remarks highlight the importance of a methodical approach. This action should include a sustainable funding plan to ensure the project’s intended outcomes can be sustained well into the future.
Through the combined efforts of these diverse organizations, the goal is to establish a collaborative process for protecting and increasing shade long after the 2028 Olympics occur. “Our hope is that the collaboration will remain and be the vehicle that we can use for increasing canopy shade past the Olympics,” Trinidad added.
Opportunities for Tree Planting
ShadeLA pinpoints neighborhoods with the greatest opportunity to increase tree canopy cover and create more shaded spaces. Hazard Park in particular has room for almost 100 additional trees. That potential is under threat in communities such as Lincoln Heights and Boyle Heights. Murchison Street Elementary School could accommodate more than 50 new trees alone. At the same time, Hillside Elementary has room for 22 additional trees on its property. More than 180 trees are slated to be planted in the Ramona Gardens public housing complex.
Monica Dean nudges residents to explore, discover and play in their surroundings. “I really want us to start thinking as Angelenos—to sort of train our eyes to see our neighborhoods differently and see where there are opportunities,” she said. This ongoing call to action represents the first opportunity for community members to get directly involved with ShadeLA’s participatory initiative.
