The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or CAL FIRE, has awarded multiple implementation and planning grants to school sites and districts across California. The goal of these Green Schoolyard Grants is to help schools convert pavement to green space, create drought-tolerant natural areas on school grounds and develop other activities to help children connect to nature.

The awards include a $2.5 million implementation grant to 93rd Street Elementary School in Los Angeles. Funds will be used to make widespread environmental improvements to the 850-student, high-needs community school, which at present has few trees and does not provide enough nature or shade for students, especially during high heat months.

Improvements include providing a park-like space where children can play and learn outdoors and planting 25 trees to create shade, cool schoolyards and reduce energy usage in nearby buildings. The plan involves the entire school community in the design, implementation and stewardship of the new schoolyard.

The school’s surrounding area is a historic environmental justice neighborhood that has been plagued by high pollution, water contamination and lead, resulting in respiratory and cardiovascular disease and low birth weight for its residents. Work on the project will begin in November and will be completed by March 2026.

With the support of United Teachers Los Angeles, LA Unified and community partners including Reclaim Our Schools Los Angeles, and with the collaboration of 93rd Street Elementary Community School Coordinator Ingrid Villeda, the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust applied for the grant. CAL FIRE developed the program this year to reduce the impacts of climate change and extreme heat through school greening. It draws from $117 million in statewide funds dedicated to improving nature and tree canopy cover on public school campuses.

A local stakeholder committee will guide the 93rd Street Elementary project. The final project design will rely heavily on feedback from students and staff on how they use the schoolyard and how to allow for more green areas.

“As a community school we are eager to engage in an inclusive, collaborative process that includes all our community stakeholder groups,” Villeda said. “We know how important it is to work in unity to create something special.”

For information about the Green Schoolyard Grant program, visit fire.ca.gov and search for Urban and Community Forestry.