Fresno, CA -- Today, the Valley Air District, Fresno Unified School District, Central California Environmental Justice Network (CCEJN) and Tree Fresno worked alongside dozens of community volunteers to plant nearly 60 trees at Computech Middle School in Southwest Fresno. This project is one of several projects to improve air quality and public health in South Central Fresno and will also include future trees for the adjacent Edison High School.
Under Assembly Bill 617 (AB617), the Fresno Community Steering Committee (CSC) —comprised of residents, local organizations, local businesses, and other community stakeholders working with the District—developed and are implementing clean air strategies to reduce air pollution emissions and exposure. As a part of their adopted plan, the CSC supported allocating funding for Urban Greening, a clean air measure that provides more tree canopy and a healthier environment for vulnerable residents. Trees help offset the urban heat island effect, in which dense concentrations of buildings and pavement absorb and retain heat. They also improve air quality by filtering out and dispersing pollutants.
“This is just one of the many exciting air-friendly community-focused projects happening in South Central Fresno under the AB 617 program,” stated Jessica Olsen, Director of Community Strategies and Resources at the Valley Air District. “In addition to Urban Greening, the CSC has prioritized over 46 clean air strategies for this part of Fresno, totaling over $45 million and reducing nearly 2,000 tons of emissions in this historically underserved part of the Valley.”
The District and the Fresno Unified School District enlisted the support of Tree Fresno to help with this effort. Tree Fresno is a non-profit organization dedicated to the betterment of communities through the planting of trees throughout Fresno County. Since its inception, Tree Fresno has planted over 50,000 trees throughout the San Joaquin Valley. Plus, in partnership with CCEJN, the District and Tree Fresno will provide residents living in South Central Fresno (in the boundary areas defined by AB 617) a free tree through their Adopt-A-Tree Program. Interested residents can apply at https://treefresno.org/ab617/.
“As an organization that has been working to promote Environmental Justice and health equity for 23 years, CCEJN is excited about this opportunity to make South Central Fresno greener and healthier by planting drought-tolerant trees in the areas where residents need them and want them,” stated Nayamin Martinez, CCEJN Executive Director.
This program is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billons of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy and improving public health and the environment – particularly in disadvantaged communities.
