ABOUT US
Our Mission
North East Trees is a community-based, non-profit organization that helps heal environmental stressors through urban forestry, nature-based green infrastructure, habitat restoration, wildfire resilience, land conservation, and workforce development.
Who We Are
North East Trees is a community-based nonprofit that creates greener, healthier, and more climate-resilient neighborhoods through urban forestry, park and green space development, habitat restoration, open space and fire resilience stewardship, and environmental workforce training.
We work throughout Los Angeles County—particularly in Northeast, East, South Los Angeles, and Watts—to expand access to nature, grow tree canopy, restore habitat, and create environmental career pathways in communities where these resources are needed most.
Our Story
In 1989, Northeast Los Angeles resident and retired high school teacher Scott Wilson, alongside a small group of dedicated volunteers, planted oak trees on Fiji Hill in Eagle Rock. What began as a simple act of hope, service, and community care would grow into North East Trees.
More than 35 years later, that same spirit continues to inspire our work. From a handful of volunteers planting trees on a hillside to thousands of community members helping shape a greener Los Angeles, North East Trees remains rooted in the belief that lasting change begins when people come together to care for the places they call home.
COMMUNITY STORIES
OUR AREAS OF IMPACT
Open Space Conservation and Restoration
North East Trees’ Open Space Stewardship program restores and protects Los Angeles’ natural landscapes for a more climate-resilient future. Across hundreds of acres, our teams remove invasive species, restore native habitats, stabilize hillsides, and reduce wildfire risk through fire-resilient land management practices.
From Flat Top Park to the hillsides we steward across Los Angeles, this work supports biodiversity, strengthens ecosystem health, and preserves safe, accessible natural spaces where communities can reconnect with nature for generations to come.
Urban Forestry
In neighborhoods where tree canopy has long been scarce, North East Trees’ Urban Forestry Crews plant, care for, and protect thousands of trees each year, bringing shade, cleaner air, and renewed life to communities that need it most.
Through long-term stewardship, we help every tree thrive for generations to come. The result is cooler streets, healthier neighborhoods, expanded biodiversity, reduced stormwater runoff, and stronger communities, powered by certified arborists and our homegrown workforce crews.
Design-Build
North East Trees’ Design-Build Department reimagines what public space can be. In neighborhoods that have long lacked access to green space, our team transforms asphalt, vacant lots, and underutilized land into vibrant parks, green schoolyards, trails, and nature-based public spaces that bring communities closer to nature.
Working hand-in-hand with residents, we design and build landscapes that provide shade, beauty, and lasting environmental resilience, creating places where people can gather, play, heal, and thrive.
Workforce Development & Community Engagement
Workforce development and community engagement are at the heart of every North East Trees program. Across our Urban Forestry, Design-Build, Open Space Stewardship, and Fire Resilience work, we create paid training and hands-on career pathways that empower local young adults to help shape the future of their own neighborhoods.
We believe the strongest projects are built with the people they serve. Through volunteerism, education, community partnerships, and long-term stewardship, we work alongside residents to create spaces that reflect local needs, strengthen neighborhood connection, and foster lasting care for the environment.
OUR TEAM
Carlos Moran
Executive Director
Aaron Thomas
Director
Urban Forestry
George Balteria
Director
Design-Construction
& Open Space
Scott Cher
Director
Program Management
Roxan Rivas
Director
Strategic Development
Cristina Basurto
Project Manager
Urban Forestry
Patricia Berni
Manager
Development
Jaime Chen
Landscape Architect
Erin Crowley
Project Manager
Schoolyard Greening
William Guerrero
Manager
Urban Forestry
Joanne Oh
Manager
Finance
Luis Rangel
Manager
Restoration & Open Space
