Andy Lipkis

TreePeople is a California based nonprofit environmental advocacy group located in Los Angeles. TreePeople promotes sustainable urban ecosystems in the Greater Los Angeles area through education, support for volunteer community-based action, and advocacy. It focuses on increasing the region's urban forest by supporting people in planting and caring for trees at homes, on school yards, and in neighborhoods. It also supports volunteers in restoring damaged local forest ecosystems in the Santa Monica Mountains, Angeles National Forest and San Bernardino National Forest. Beyond simply planting and caring for trees, TreePeople works to promote urban watershed management, using green infrastructure to address critical urban water issues. It educates and advocates for water conservation and stormwater capture in the urban landscape for Los Angeles' long-term sustainability. Andy Lipkis founded TreePeople at age 18 in 1973, and remains its President today. With thousands of members and volunteers and more than 50 staff members, TreePeople operates out of the Center for Community Forestry at 45-acre Coldwater Canyon Park.