California Tree Palette for Schoolyard Forests

Introduction

This tree palette (selection of trees) is intended for school districts, landscape architects, and school communities to easily select trees that are appropriate for a schoolyard setting and will thrive as temperatures rise due to climate change. 

The tree palette draws from many sources, including local experts, agencies, and academic institutions, and was developed by Bay Tree Design and Green Schoolyards America and reviewed by Matthew Ritter, Ph.D., Professor in the Biology Department at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo; staff at the Urban Forest Ecosystems Institute at Cal Poly; and Joe McBride, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning at UC Berkeley.

When using this list to select trees, please keep the following in mind:

  • The tree palette was developed by taking into account the positive and negative attributes for tree selection listed below.

  • This list may not include all possible tree species suitable for schoolyards.

  • Some of the trees on this list may not be available at commercial nurseries, but it is our hope that as demand for schoolyard forests increases, tree nurseries will adapt their supply.

  • In this palette we strived to include many native trees that are suitable for a schoolyard environment, and the list also contains many non-native climate adapted species that will provide shade and other benefits.

  • Schools and districts are encouraged to use the tree list and considerations below, including positive and negative attributes for tree selection, to ask informed questions as they reach out to local landscape architects, arborists, horticulturalists, and other experts to provide additional appropriate tree choices. 

In addition to the master tree palette, which includes all tree species and detailed attributes, we provide a tree list for each Sunset Climate Zone. Before using the tree palette, find out the Sunset Climate Zone for your school site here.

While we appreciate receiving suggestions for additional tree species and welcome other comments, please note that our intention is to revise and update the tree list annually.


©Green Schoolyards America


©Green Schoolyards America

Find A Tree Palette for Your School’s Sunset Climate Zone

In addition to the master tree palette, which includes all tree species and detailed attributes, we provided a tree list for each Sunset Climate Zone. Find your Sunset Climate Zone using the button below.

Sunset Zone 1 Sunset Zone 2 Sunset Zone 3 Sunset Zone 4 Sunset Zone 7 Sunset Zone 8 Sunset Zone 9 Sunset Zone 10 Sunset Zone 11 Sunset Zone 13 Sunset Zone 14 Sunset Zone 15 Sunset Zone 16 Sunset Zone 17 Sunset Zone 18 Sunset Zone 19 Sunset Zone 20 Sunset Zone 21 Sunset Zone 22 Sunset Zone 23 Sunset Zone 24


©Green Schoolyards America, Ayesha Ercelawn

GOALS OF THE TREE PALETTE

  1. Climate adaptable. Provide a selection of trees that are appropriate for the current climate of different regions throughout California, and are predicted to thrive as temperatures rise due to climate change.

  2. Appropriate for schoolyards. Provide a selection of trees that are appropriate for a schoolyard setting and support learning and play environments for children and youth.

  3. Easy to use. Provide a tree selection resource that is easy for school districts and individual school sites to understand and use as a reference.

Design Considerations

  1. Select trees that suit the climate and region. Select trees that are well-suited to the site's Sunset climate zone while considering the ecological diversity of the region where the school site is located. 

  2. Consider climate change. Consider climate change impacts to your region when selecting trees given that most trees are long-term investments of a minimum of 50 years. The Tree Palette includes this consideration.

  3. Design a healthy forest system. Select trees to create a healthy forest system at the school site and at the same time build on the needs of the district and region for an overall forest system. Consider trees as an ecological and living system and not single objects. With that in mind, select a compilation of trees that will support each other as a system for the health and longevity of the forest.

  4. Consider site conditions. Consider site conditions and constraints. For example, locate your forest where it will have access to irrigation but not be in conflict with overhead or underground utility lines. 

  5. Select and place trees to support learning and play. Select and place trees on site to create an environment that supports learning and play, including creating comfortable microclimates throughout the year. Consider trees that have play affordances or connect to the curriculum.

  6. Plant trees in a single contiguous patch. Plant trees in a large, continuous patch whenever possible, with ample permeable ground.

  7. Strive for diversity. Consider a diverse selection of trees for a schoolground, including natives, species that are less common, and a mix of species to increase long-term resiliency.

  8. Select long-lived trees. As appropriate, select large, longer-lived species that can provide greater benefits, such as larger shade canopies and more carbon sequestration over longer periods of time.

  9. Consider maintenance. Select and place trees on the site in a manner that is manageable for district maintenance staff. If some tree species are known to have shallow roots and/or more leaf drop, place them in unpaved locations, such as nature exploration areas, planting areas, and gardens.

  10. Be thoughtful when including fruit trees. Edible fruit trees offer learning opportunities as well as healthy food for students to enjoy. However, fruit trees may require more maintenance than other schoolyard trees and must be selected and located appropriately to minimize pests and fruit drop on pavement. Consider fruit trees that produce fruit only during the school year and plant them away from pavement.

California Schoolyard Forest System℠

The California Schoolyard Forest System℠ seeks to create schoolyard forests across PreK-12 public school grounds statewide to directly shade and protect students from extreme heat and rising temperatures due to climate change. This initiative was founded by Green Schoolyards America in partnership with the California Department of Education, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), and Ten Strands.

Funding for this project has been provided by a grant administered by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) Urban and Community Forestry Program.