Non-profit planting 3,000 trees in Downey

Photo by Pam Lane, DowneyDailyPhotos.com

DOWNEY — More than 3,000 trees will be planted throughout Downey as part of a year-long initiative to increase the city’s greenery, officials announced.

The trees will be planted by Tree People, an environmental nonprofit organization. Different tree species will be planted, including crape myrtle and strawberry.

Trees will be planted in the city’s right-of-way — not private property — on streets and parks. Tree People will care for the trees for the first 24 months after which they become the city’s responsibility.

The planting will be done in two phases: the first stage began in April and wrapped up in May; the second phase is scheduled to begin this September and be completed by May 2020.

The work is part of a larger program in which Tree People will plant 11,000 trees in Downey, Norwalk, Santa Fe Springs, Commerce and La Mirada over the next five years.

Funding for the project is coming from the California Department of Transportation.

Residents with questions about tree plantings in their neighborhood should contact Juan Solomon, project manager with Tree People, at (323) 649-0736 or jsolomon@treepeople.org.