Monday, August 24, 2026

PUSD Board to Vote Thursday on 30% Tree Canopy Goal

Resolution sets 2035 target; district says budget cuts reduced grounds staffing by about half

The Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education will consider a resolution at its regular meeting Thursday, Aug. 27, that would commit the district to work toward 30% mature tree canopy in outdoor areas designated for student learning, play and circulation by 2035.

The resolution also states that recent budget reductions have cut the district’s grounds staffing by approximately 50%, “affecting the District’s ability to maintain its existing tree inventory and any additional trees planted under this Resolution.”

Resolution No. 2901 would establish a “long range goal” to preserve and support the existing canopy and work toward 30% through phased implementation. PUSD school sites range between 8% and 15% coverage, according to a 2023 California Schoolyard Tree Canopy Equity study cited in the resolution.

The resolution cites research showing increased canopy reduces urban heat island effects, improves air quality and contributes to improved student mental health, concentration and academic performance.

The superintendent or a designee would have six months to present a draft implementation plan and 12 months for a detailed plan to the board. The resolution would take effect immediately upon adoption.

Implementation would run through the district’s Facilities Master Plan, Green Schoolyards efforts, 2026 Landscape and Exterior Space Guidelines and campus modernization program. The master plan would include an initial tree canopy and outdoor space concept for each campus, with preliminary planting priorities, irrigation needs and estimated costs.

Maintenance capacity

The district manages approximately 5,000 trees. Its arborist inventory identifies “substantial ongoing needs” for routine and structural pruning, disease monitoring, irrigation, young tree care and long-term stewardship, the resolution states. Effective tree stewardship “requires more than planting,” it adds, demanding careful species selection suited to local microclimates, soil conditions and utility infrastructure.

The resolution carries no appropriation, directing the superintendent to “explore diverse public and private funding mechanisms and volunteer labor coordinated through partner organizations.”

The district says canopy preservation, natural shade and responsible canopy expansion are already being evaluated through the master plan process and incorporated into campus modernization projects.

Reporting and community role

A certified arborist would annually review and update the tree inventory and mapping to reflect current campus conditions at the Facilities and Capital Projects Committee. An annual “Green Campus Report” would be posted publicly and presented to that committee, beginning the fiscal year after the initial mapping phase is complete; the resolution sets no date.

The resolution requires “meaningful community participation,” including initial input from students, families, staff, community organizations, environmental partners, arborists and other qualified participants. All community recommendations, donations, grants, volunteer activities and partnerships would be reviewed and approved through district processes and must remain consistent with the master plan, Green Schoolyards principles, district guidelines, applicable project requirements and “long term maintenance capacity.”

It also cites the state Department of Education’s California Schoolyard Forest System®, which aims to plant enough trees by 2030 so that at maturity they cover at least 30% of each public school property in areas used by children and youth during the school day. PUSD sets 2035.

The board meets Thursday, Aug. 27, in the Elbie J. Hickambottom Board Room 236, 351 S. Hudson Ave., Pasadena. The public portion starts at 6:45 p.m. The agenda is online here.  Spanish and ASL translation requests to publiccomment@pusd.us at least 24 hours ahead.