Planting Trees

A low-cost, results-driven model for neighborhood reforestation.

The hard part of reforesting neighborhoods isn’t planting trees — it’s caring for them afterward. We reach communities through students and schools, so families plant their own trees and steward them for years.

documentary photo, family planting a fruit tree at homeFruit trees ready for families
Systems challenge

Street-tree projects tend to have low survival rates in neighborhoods where residents trust public institutions less, often the same places with the most pollution and the greatest need for shade.

Our approach

Our trees programs offer families a free tree to plant together. They choose the kind of tree they want and pick it up at school to plant and care for in their own yards. We turn tree planting into a lesson for students and a long-term stewardship role for families.

By the numbers
01

1,000+ households have planted trees at their own homes.since 2019

02

280 fruit trees were planted at students’ homes.2025

03

150 trees were planted on school campuses.2025

Having the opportunity to have a fruit tree at home, and taking care of it as we do at school, is really good.Amadeo Cumba Gonzalez, classroom teacher, Washington Elementary (WCCUSD) — 2026 stakeholder survey
From the field · placeholder photos
TODO: documentary photo, family picking up their free tree at schoolTree pickup day
TODO: documentary photo, family planting their fruit tree at homePlanting at home
TODO: documentary photo, students at a planting demonstration on campusPlanting demo
Where the trees are

Every tree we’ve planted, 2022–2025

Each dot is a tree planted with a family or on a campus across Oakland and West Contra Costa. We back every planting with multilingual care support so it lasts.

0trees planted with families, 2022–2025
Each dot is a tree planted with a family829 of 1,129 mapped

Bring this to your school.

Principals, PTAs, teachers, district staff — tell us about your campus and we'll talk through what's possible, from a first consultation to a full program.

Start a conversation

Fund this program.

Your gift keeps expert instructors, gardens, and fresh food at Title 1 schools across the East Bay.

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Our programs reinforce each other — keep reading.Next: Movement Building →