Growing a nationwide Tree Equity movement rooted in community, powered by local action.
By Ciana Williams
People powering resilience
Joel Holton grew up in New Orleans, in neighborhoods where trees once shaped daily life without anyone having to think about them. Shade was just there, and streets felt cooler.
Then, Hurricane Katrina hit. The catastrophic 2005 storm didn’t just flood homes and displace families, it stripped away a large portion of the city’s urban forest — much of which never returned, leaving people more exposed to storms and extreme heat. This is a reality that Holton is working to reverse.
“Tree Equity looks like bringing back what the city used to be like,” he says.
Tree Equity
Joel Holton, program director for Louisiana Green Corps, unloads trees for planting along the Lafitte Greenway bike trail in New Orleans.
Photo Credit: Olivier Sarbil / American Forests
Holton now manages a workforce development program at Louisiana Green Corps (LAGC), a nonprofit organization that connects environmental restoration with economic opportunity. The program trains young adults and adults for jobs in construction, green infrastructure and conservation. The work is both physical and public, with crews planting trees and installing green infrastructure that requires constant maintenance to ensure survival. Connection to community is a centerpiece of LAGC’s programming and drives Holton’s sense of belonging to the work.