Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) Culminating Experience

This project examines the current condition of the urban forest in the City of Los Angeles (LA), focusing on South LA City’s vulnerable neighborhoods, including Vermont Vista and Broaway-Manchester, which are marked by a declining urban forest, a worsening in the urban heat island effect along with urban forest management issues. Historically shaped by colonial and ornamental landscaping, the current urban forest in LA faces critical challenges in failing to deliver good environmental equity and the effects of climate change impacts. In collaboration with the Los Angeles Center for Urban Natural Resources Sustainability (LA Urban Center), this initiative integrates big data driven urban forest analysis, iTree Eco modeling, and stakeholder engagement to assess urban canopy coverage, species diversity, and environmental vulnerabilities. Key climate-related stressors—heat waves, drought, lack of tree diversity, and air pollution—underscore the urgency of strategic urban forest or forestry planning in metropolitan areas like Los Angeles. Our model maps environmental and social stressors at the census tract level, guiding targeted interventions in the most vulnerable communities.

The application of the vulnerability model lead us to a local analysis of Vermont -Vista and Broadway Manchester located in South LA. Collaborating with Council District 8 and other stakeholders, the team was able to better understand the needs of the community through engagement. This led us to develop a practical framework called S.T.E2.P which stands for Stewardship, Tree diversity, Eduation, Equity, and Performance. This community concept is intended to be applicable to other communities with similar needs for urban forest interventions.

The team’s response to S.T.E2.P was a series of spatial designs that fullfilled what the framework aims to accomplish. The first spatial design proposes greening efforts along the freeway edge and adjacent residential blocks. The second spatial design proposes typologies for greening vacant lots with a revenue component that ultimately transforms these spaces with green infrastructure and considers vacant motels for affordable housing. A third spatial design which extends these greening efforts along pedestrian right of ways that lead to parks, schools or other gathering spaces. The fourth spatial design offers an alternate path of safety for pedestrians and bike users through underutilized alleys. The fifth spatial design proposes bus stops become micro-destination’s that educate the community about the urban forest.

Ultimately the project seeks to promote inclusive, community-driven strategies for enhancing urban forest resilience, biodiversity, and equitable green space access across Los Angeles through research, advanced analysis, and in depth dialogue with non-profits, government agencies, and residents.