TreePeople’s 4th Annual Urban Soil Symposium explored how climate gardening, soil health, and collaborative land management strategies can enhance urban resilience in the face of climate change.
The 4th Annual Los Angeles Urban Soil Symposium, hosted by TreePeople on March 7, 2025, brought together over 130 environmental practitioners to explore how landscapes can be reimagined in the face of climate change. Centered on the theme of Climate Gardening, the symposium examined the intersection of ecology, community, and land management. Discussions focused on how native plants, fungi, and green infrastructure can build resilience, particularly in areas impacted by events like the recent LA fires.
The event emphasized collaboration over conventional presentations, fostering connections between researchers, policymakers, and nonprofit leaders. Attendees explored TreePeople’s urban soils research and viewed informative posters from a variety of contributors. Examples of presentations included UCLA’s Kirsten Schwarz on democratizing soil testing post-wildfires and TreePeople’s own team advocating for circular soil systems that repurpose construction sediment into healthy, usable soil.
Beyond the science, the symposium encouraged attendees to reflect on their personal and philosophical approaches to land stewardship. An interactive art installation, The Mosaic Machine, prompted participants to consider how traditional, modern, ecological, or agrarian landscaping choices affect local watersheds. The momentum and ideas sparked at this year’s symposium suggest a promising path forward—where Climate Gardening helps reshape LA’s urban fabric into one that’s greener, healthier, and more adaptive to the changing climate.
FULL STORY: 4th Annual Urban Soil Symposium Digs Into Climate Gardening
Rethinking Wildfire Defense: How a Landscape Approach Can Protect Neighborhoods
Post-fire analysis of the Eaton Fire reveals that a landscape approach — including fire-resistant vegetation, home hardening, and strategic planning — can help reduce wildfire risk, challenging assumptions that trees and plants are primary fire hazards.
Wildlife Rebounds After the Eaton Fire
Following the devastation of the Eaton Fire, the return of wildlife and the regrowth of native plants are offering powerful signs of resilience and renewal.
How South LA Green Spaces Power Community Health and Hope
Green spaces like South L.A. Wetlands Park are helping South Los Angeles residents promote healthy lifestyles, build community, and advocate for improvements that reflect local needs in historically underserved neighborhoods.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”
The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).
The Simple Legislative Tool Transforming Vacant Downtowns
In California, Michigan and Georgia, an easy win is bringing dollars — and delight — back to city centers.
In These Cities, Most New Housing is Under 441 Square Feet
With loosened restrictions on “micro-housing,” tiny units now make up as much as 66% of newly constructed housing.
Albuquerque’s Microtransit: A Planner’s Answer to Food Access Gaps
New microtransit vans in Albuquerque aim to close food access gaps by linking low-income areas to grocery stores, cutting travel times by 30 percent and offering planners a scalable model for equity-focused transit.
This City Will Pay You to Meet Your Neighbors
A North Kansas City grant program offers up to $400 for residents to throw neighborhood block parties.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)