2024 California Urban Forests Council Conference

Happening in just a few weeks — The 2024 California Urban Forests Council (CaUFC) Conference "Increasing Canopy Cover: Challenges & Opportunities" in San Luis Obispo!

November 13-14

Don't miss out on connecting with municipal arborists, urban forest managers, urban wood enthusiasts, landscape design professionals, planners, and non-profits from across California for this unique educational and networking experience. 

This year's speakers and panelists will explore the emerging trends impacting our urban canopy and provide insights into how organizations may meet future challenges.

MobilizeGreen 2025 Paid Youth Conservation Program!

Before applying, you can sign up for an informational zoom session.

On-Site Applicants

Participants in this program spend three weeks in either southern California or northern Minnesota living and working alongside Crew Leaders and the U.S. Forest Service. Students will work on trail maintenance, invasive species removal, fire dependent ecology, and more! → Apply for On-Site Now!

On-Site Program Dates

Cohort 1: June 8 - June 28, 2025

Cohort 2: July 6 - July 26, 2025

Virtual Applicants

Participants in this program are immersed in the world of Green STEM careers, professional development, and environmental science. They will be virtually connected to about 30 of their peers from around the country, as they learn about climate resilience, history of public lands, wildfire crisis strategy, and more! → Apply for Virtual Now!

Virtual Program Dates

Cohort 1: June 9 - June 27, 2025

Cohort 2: July 7 - July 25, 2025

Good luck to all applicants!

As some of you know, the Los Angeles Center for Urban Natural Resources Sustainability hosts a Science Fellowship Program each year for graduate students from diverse academic disciplines to provide research and science-delivery opportunities.

Let us introduce you this year's fellowship recipients with a fun Q&A to learn more about them and their awesome projects!

Meet Heidi Yang!

Tell us a little bit about your project:

Genetic diversity, the amount of DNA variation in a population or species, can assess population health and resilience because many environmental response traits are genetically based.

My project will evaluate genetic diversity of urban populations and nursery seed sources of coast live oak, Engelmann oak, and valley oak in LA.

This work will characterize the potential for city oaks to respond to environmental stressors and identify seed sources that will maintain/increase city genetic diversity.

What does it mean to you to be a part of the Science Fellowship Program?

Being a part of the Science Fellowship Program is a privilege and a wonderful opportunity to meaningfully engage with ongoing community forest and nursery management efforts through my research.

Why does LA need this kind of research?

Oak trees are culturally significant to Gabrielino Tongva, Fernandeño Tataviam, and Chumash peoples and support thousands of native vertebrate, insect, plant, and fungal species. They also provide urban heat mitigation, air purification, energy conservation, and aesthetic benefits as city trees.

Despite their value, they comprise less than 2% of the community forest. Alongside oak management and planting programs, this research will promote genetic diversity of oaks in the city to help preserve their numerous benefits for current and future LA residents. 

What do you do when you aren’t working?

When I’m not working, I enjoy taking tap dance classes, running, finding new music, and spending time with friends and family.

What’s your favorite tree and why?

My favorite tree is one you might see around the city: Ginkgo biloba, a tree native to East Asia. I think their fan-shaped leaves are beautiful and they’re fascinating from an evolutionary perspective as the only extant species of an entire taxonomic group.

They also hold a special place in my heart as a child of Korean immigrants. My mother’s home in Korea was called the “Ginkgo tree house” by her neighbors since there was a huge ginkgo growing in her front yard; seeing ginkgos growing around LA connects me to my Korean roots and Korean-American upbringing. 

Meet Cailyn Schmidt!

Tell us a little bit about your project:

Trees are humanity's greatest teachers; unfortunately you won’t find them at every school. The inequitable distribution of trees on school campuses across LA exposes youth to climate change risks and public health disparities.

My project aims to research, develop and design a place-based model for urban forest interventions in schools in high canopy need areas, with the larger goal to facilitate equitable access to nature-based learning, promote well-being, and foster climate-resiliency within school communities. 

What does it mean to you to be a part of the Science Fellowship Program? 

As an Urban and Regional Planning masters student at UCLA, the Science Fellowship Program allows me to investigate more deeply into a subject I am fiercely concerned and passionate about. I feel incredibly grateful for the opportunity to receive mentorship from the LA Urban Center to strengthen and expand my professional skills and network.

Why does LA need this kind of research? 

With the unprecedented investment in green schoolyards across LA, it is important that more research is conducted to identify the challenges, limitations and actions needed to make these efforts sustainable. My research aims to understand the sociopolitical and ecological landscape of schools and create a model for schoolyard forests that is replicable, scalable and leads to longevity and stewardship.

By better understanding the intersection of public health, urban greening and global warming, we can prepare the next generation for the immense challenges posed by climate change. 

What do you do when you aren’t working? 

When I am not working, you can find me hiking, practicing yoga and meditation, tending to my garden, playing piano, cooking myself a nourishing meal and spending time with my loved ones!

What’s your favorite tree and why?

My favorite trees are California redwoods. Growing up in Monterey, California and frequenting the redwood forest in Big Sur, I have many fond memories looking up at these majestic trees in wonder and awe. Redwoods are so grounding, tranquil and always reach for greater heights—qualities I strive towards and hope to embody!

Thank you so much to Heidi and Cailyn for taking the time to share a bit more about themselves and their projects—we’re excited to see the results!