CAL FIRE Grant 2023-24
Burbank Eco Council helped local nonprofit, Tree People, secure a CAL FIRE grant to devise plans for school greening at 6 BUSD schools. The grant funds detailed landscape design - from architects SWA, working closely with BUSD Facilities - focused on removing hot asphalt and replacing with low-water-use trees, native plants, outdoor learning spaces, and rainwater capture.
Once designs are complete, we will seek out other grants / funding sources for construction. These projects will provide much needed shade, improved air quality, and pollution reduction.
The six schools are: Disney Elementary, McKinley Elementary, Miller Elementary, Washington Elementary, Huerta Middle, and Muir Middle School.
Grant funding provided by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection's Urban and Community Forestry Program.
In-School Workshops
Burbank Eco Council (BEC) helped facilitate workshops at all six schools in order to gain insights from students, parents, and faculty about how their outdoor spaces are currently used and how they could be improved.
BUSD Green Schoolyards Design Review
Tree People, SWA, and Burbank Eco Council invited leaders within the Burbank Unified School District (BUSD) and community members to review the designs at Burbank's Central Library in August 2024.
Each design reinforced the group's goals: nurture students health and well-being, reduce heat island temperatures through the introduction of native plants and trees, and provide spaces for engaging educational opportunities outdoors.
