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.
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.
Tackling Soil Contamination With Nature-Based Solutions
Los Angeles County residents and experts are turning to nature-based methods like bioremediation to address long-standing and fire-exacerbated soil contamination without resorting to costly and disruptive removal.
Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.
Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.
Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.
From Throughway to Public Space: Taking Back the American Street
How the Covid-19 pandemic taught us new ways to reclaim city streets from cars.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service