Shade Trees For Southern California's Deserts

The Shade Trees for Southern California's Deserts project is a three-year initiative led by the Imperial Irrigation District to plant 6,000 15-gallon trees across Imperial, Central Riverside, and Eastern Riverside counties. The project specifically targets disadvantaged communities and underrepresented demographic groups with identified environmental, social, and economic needs. To ensure balanced impact, the planting distribution is split evenly, with 50 percent of the trees located in residential areas and 50 percent in public spaces. The scope of work encompasses urban forestry planning, planting, maintenance, community engagement, and urban forest education and stewardship to stimulate local economic growth. The project is funded by a grant from CAL FIRE's Urban and Community Forestry Program totaling 2,975,163 dollars. Additionally, the project qualifies for a categorical exemption under 14 CCR section 15304 as it involves minor alterations to land through new gardening and landscaping.