Thursday, February 27, 1997

UCLA's Tree Project meets quarterly to plant trees in urban Los Angeles and inform young students about protecting the

environment By Teresa Barone

Daily Bruin Contributor

Heavy rains pelted their backs and drops of water splashed in their eyes as they shoveled a 4-foot hole in the ground. Although nature should have been on their side, 10 members of Tree Project braved the elements in Santa Monica last month ­ all to plant a tree.

"I was uncomfortable, wet and cold," said Jason Fang, an assistant director of Tree Project. "The cool thing was nobody left. Everyone was concentrating on getting the tree planted."

Tree Project, a UCLA community service club, rides out the storms to complete its mission of protecting the environment. To spread the word of environmental importance, the members plant trees and teach younger students about pollution and recycling.

"Our club is about (environmental) exposure and hopefully when students graduate they will take something with them and get more involved," said Joanna Cheng, one of three student directors of Tree Project.

Any adventurous UCLA student can join the Tree Project, since there are no special requirements except for the ability to use a shovel.

Tree Project ventures beyond the neatly manicured and landscaped areas around UCLA to plant trees. Over the past five years, the group has planted trees from Watts to Santa Monica.

If open soil is not available, Tree Project does not give up. In one instance, the group demanded that city employees drive to the site and drill a hole in the concrete.

Once Tree Project members have secured their land, like foraging pioneers, they throw their muscle into digging the pit, careful of the pipelines underneath the top soil. Despite the problems of pipes, old tree roots, rocky soil and concrete, the members can plant the tree in approximately four hours.

Angelica Ching, another director of Tree Project, advises prospective members not to wear their prom dresses to the quarterly tree plantings.

"It's a dirty job. Wear comfortable shoes and get ready to get dirty," said Ching, a fourth-year linguistics student.

Planting a tree can require heavy physical labor, directors say. But, because the members share the shoveling, they are not overworked. Ching said the soreness the following day proves her effort.

Cheng understands that students with busy schedules do not live and breathe Tree Project. The directors want it to be fun, not formal.

"We try to be as kick-back as possible. No one has to come every time," said Cheng, a fourth-year psychology student. Tree Project's no-pressure policy has worked in its favor. Although it is only 30-35 members strong, 10-15 turn out for every tree-planting excursion.

"People go because they feel it is a fun way to help the environment not because they feel like it is an obligation," said Fang, a fifth-year business economics student.

Besides planting trees, Tree Project members visit the tutoring sites of other UCLA clubs, such as Project WILD (Working for Immigrant Literacy Development), to inform young people about the environment. Some schools are in an area that proves Tree Project is vital in planting seeds for the future.

"You have signs saying, 'No weapons allowed inside.' Then you look up to the sky and see all the smog. It is so terrible. You really see the need for (environmental education)," Ching said.

Tree Project members don't stand by and watch environmental degradation. They take action against pollution by teaching younger students to do the same. Together they discuss environmental fun facts and teach the children to make recycled paper in the classroom.

Language barriers are no match for Tree Project members. At Temple Intermediate School, one boy who knew very little English approached Ching and asked her to translate the environmental lesson into his native language of Cantonese.

Ching, fluent in Cantonese, translated the lesson. Some of the children they taught only spoke Spanish, Japanese and Chinese. With the varied knowledge of Tree Project members, they could communicate to the children who otherwise would not have understood the lesson.

In Spring Quarter, Tree Project plans to hold an independent tree planting at Nickerson Gardens in Watts.

Tree People, a national environmental organization, had provided the trees and city permits for the previous tree plantings this year. Now the Tree Project will be responsible for every step of the tree planting and the fate of Nickerson Gardens teeters on their success.

The task does not shake the confidence of Tree Project, Cheng said. They estimate planting 10 to 15 trees on Kings Boulevard.

As an independent excursion, the Nickerson Gardens tree planting will require much more preparation for the three directors, Eddy Nguyen, Angelica Ching and Joanna Cheng, who say it is worth it.

Following the tree planting, Ching said they will name the trees as a rite of passage.

Fang described the calming effect of giving life to a young tree, which he feels can provide an escape from the stress of UCLA by clearing the mind and increasing camaraderie.

"There is something about planting a tree that brings you together," Ching said. "I guess it's magic."

Tree Project

Members of the nationwide organization Tree People accompany UCLA's Tree Project to elementary schools, providing a demonstration of tree-planting procedure.