One tree at a time, students help rebuild LA wildfire affected areas

Young students got to use their green thumbs today at a Pacific Palisades school nursery, planting trees to rebuild the 2025 Los Angeles wildfire-torn region, with a project goal of 5,000 trees over the next several years.

The project called TREEAMS, which stands for trees and dreams) was inspired by Dr. Jane Goodall shortly before she died.

The program brings together students from Altadena, Pasadena, Pacific Palisades, and Malibu.

"This is a new model for wildfire recovery, and it's led by students," Shawna Marino, vice president of EF Academy, said.

"They raised their hands. These are student leaders from high school to elementary school age."

Students learn from local experts which trees to plant, how to plant them, and how to keep them thriving. Marino said the students will help the trees grow in designated nurseries, like the one in the Palisades, then they will be donated to wildfire-affected properties when ready.

"I like it because I grew up here, and it burned, and it's nice to see that we are planting trees here where I grew up," student Tecker Kaplan said at Tuesday's planting.

For more information on the program, visit TREEAMS.org.