Target: Karen Bass, Mayor of Los Angeles, CA
Goal: Support expansion of healthy and environmentally friendly green spaces within city.
Downtown Los Angeles (LA) became the scene of a unique and outrageous act of alleged vandalism when someone took a chainsaw to at least 15 trees along the city’s streets. Many of the trees were dozens of years old and dozens of feet tall. Ironically, Earth Day brought an arrest: Samuel Patrick Groft was charged with multiple counts of felony vandalism.
The city has vowed to replant the trees, but they will likely take decades to reach full maturity. It didn’t have to be this way, though. Currently, a large chunk of the city’s trees exists in just four neighborhoods. This lack of investment in creating green spaces has been detrimental to one of the nation’s most iconic cities, especially in lower income neighborhoods.
Sign the petition below to demand LA leaders support not just the replacement of fallen trees, but the restoration of beneficial greenery across the city.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Mayor Bass,
The recent alleged vandalism of Los Angeles’ trees has highlighted a long-running problem: a decided lack of green spaces spread throughout all neighborhoods. While following through on a pledge to replant vandalized trees, this city can and should invest in planting more trees overall for the long-term wellness of Los Angeles and its residents. Green spaces have proven environmental and public health benefits (both mental and physical health).
Take a page from the United Kingdom, which has announced plans to create whole new forests. The town of Somerset is setting a particularly high standard by utilizing volunteers to plant 100,000 native trees. This ambitious plan should serve as inspiration and as motivation.
An investment in green spaces is an investment in a cleaner and healthier future.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Jake Heinemann
