The City of Long Beach has launched a fruit tree planting program as part of its sustainability efforts. Long Beach residents can now apply to have a fruit tree planted by City staff in their front yard for free. This Office of Sustainability program is made possible through grant funding from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) in partnership with the Air Resources Board California Climate Investments (ARB-CCI).

“Fruit trees are a great way to grow the urban forest and provide new sources of fresh produce to the community,” said Mayor Robert Garcia. “This program will help us meet our climate goals, reduce air pollution, and provide more healthy fruit for residents.”

Fruit tree applications are now open. Residents can apply online at http://www.longbeach.gov/sustainability/programs/tree-planting. An alternate format of the application can be requested by calling (562) 570-6396.

“We hope this gives more residents the opportunity to have a tree who want one,” said Sustainability Coordinator, Larry Rich. “Planting in front yards gives us the opportunity to plant in areas that aren’t able to have parkway trees and give those neighborhoods all the benefits the urban forest can provide: cleaner air, more shade, and in this case, food.”

Residents can apply for one of six different fruit trees: lemon, lime, orange, pomegranate, peach, or avocado. One tree will be provided per eligible household while the program lasts. All residents are encouraged to apply, those not located in a priority neighborhood will be placed on a waitlist. Waitlist requests will be fulfilled as space is available in the planting schedule each month. Applications will be prioritized based on CalEnviroScreen scores. CalEnviroScreen is a mapping tool that helps identify California communities that are most affected by many sources of pollution, and where people are often especially vulnerable to pollution’s effects. CalEnviroScreen ranks communities based on data that are available from state and federal government sources.

This fruit planting program is a part of the I Dig Long Beach initiative, which recently received a significant funding boost—a $1.26 million grant from CAL FIRE that allowed the initiative to be extended to plant 10,000 new trees by 2022. Initially, the initiative was funded in 2012 for 6,000 trees by 2020 through a $671,200 grant from the Port of Long Beach. Funding for this California Climate Investments Grant Project has been provided by the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund through CAL FIRE Urban and Community Forestry Program.

About the City of Long Beach

Home to approximately 470,000 people, the multiple award-winning and innovative City of Long Beach offers all the world-class amenities of a large metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods nestled together along the California coast. As a full-service charter city, Long Beach is home to the Queen Mary, Aquarium of the Pacific, several museums and theaters, a highly-rated school district, Long Beach Airport, the Port of Long Beach, as well as many award-winning City departments such as Health, Parks, Recreation and Marine, Development Services and more. The City also has a highly-respected university and city college, two historic ranchos, five hospitals, five golf courses, 171 parks, miles of beaches, marinas, bike paths, and a Bike Share program.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit http://longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

About the Office of Sustainability

The City of Long Beach Office of Sustainability works to create a more sustainable community by engaging with individuals, neighborhoods and government to reduce our impact on the environment and protect our local natural resources. Our mission is to provide policies and programs that advance environmental stewardship, support local sustainability practices, and create a more livable and resilient Long Beach. Find more information at www.lbsustainability.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @lbsustainability.

About CAL FIRE

CAL FIRE's mission emphasizes the management and protection of California's natural resources — a goal that is accomplished through ongoing assessment and study of the State's natural resources and an extensive CAL FIRE Resource Management Program. CAL FIRE oversees enforcement of California's forest practice regulations, which guide timber harvesting on private lands. Learn more about CAL FIRE at www.fire.ca.gov.

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