Urban Orchard: A Multi-Benefit Park in South Gate

Green space, park access, and trees

Pilot or new project, program, or initiative (testing or implementing a new idea)

Parks address social isolation, physical well-being, and climate impacts, fostering healthier communities. Yet, 100 million U.S. residents lack a park within a 10-minute walk of home, and low-income, minority neighborhoods have smaller, more crowded parks.
South Gate residents face severe air pollution from industrial facilities and the 710 Freeway, ranking in the 99.73 percentile for pollution burden, with about 20% of residents living in poverty. A lack of green space, with 86% of residents living in areas with fewer than 3 acres of parks per thousand residents, worsens heat islands and contributes to obesity, diabetes, asthma, and heart disease, which South Gate residents experience disproportionately, according to a 2019 study. Access to parks in South Gate can promote physical activity and improve mental health by providing safe, accessible areas for exercise and relaxation, while improving air and water quality.

The project site is a vacant 7-acre lot between the LA River and the 710 Freeway, with no parks or open spaces within a half-mile. The community faces high pollution and social vulnerability, ranking as one of California's most critical areas. Over 2,500 people, including 760 children, live within a 10-minute walk; 32% are low-income, and 90% identify as Latino. The closest neighbor, Thunderbird Villa Mobile Home community, includes low-income seniors, and those living with disabilities. The park will attract residents from Greater LA due to its size, features, and accessibility from the river trail and Metro’s planned West Santa Ana light rail line. It will feature space for outdoor exercise, environmental education, and youth job training, a first for TPL in the area. Community volunteers will help steward the park, with neighborhood schools using the garden and orchard for education. At-risk youth, guided by the Conservation Corps of Long Beach, will help build and maintain the garden, orchard, and wetland, giving them jobs and career training. By integrating grassroots engagement, job training, and environmental education, we will show an equitable, scalable model for easing socioeconomic, environmental, and climate injustices in southeast LA. This unique project blends environmental restoration, community empowerment, and economic development, setting a powerful and positive precedent for similar urban projects.

Urban Orchard will impact LA County in a variety of ways:
Green Space:
Transforming a barren area into a vibrant park will provide much-needed green space, improve water quality, and reduce flooding.
Improved Public Health:
Access to parks promotes physical activity, reduces stress, and improves mental health. The park will help mitigate the heat island effect, creating a cooler and healthier environment.
Community & Social Benefits:
The Urban Orchard will become a community hub, fostering social cohesion and community pride through engagement in its design and its multi-faceted use.
Economic & Educational Opportunities:
The project will create jobs and boost local businesses. It will provide educational opportunities related to environmental stewardship and sustainable practices.
Sustainability:
By promoting green infrastructure and nature-based solutions, the Urban Orchard will enhance the area’s resilience to climate change and serve as a model for future urban development.

TPL measures success for our LA Parks Program by the population and demographics of residents within a 10-minute walk (half-mile) of the park. We use ParkScore and ParkServe™ GIS platforms. The ParkScore index measures park systems in five categories: access, investment, amenities, acreage, and equity. Our main evaluation criteria is the number and demographics of residents within a 10-minute walk of the park.
These systems combine U.S. Census data with detailed mapping of parks, trails, and other green spaces, as well as environmental factors like heat islands. We focus on diverse, low-income areas that lack green spaces to maximize impact. By identifying these communities, we provide the greatest benefits to those who need it most.
TPL makes this technology available on our website and offers partners expert analysis to support mutual efforts. This ensures rigorous monitoring and shows the effectiveness of our initiatives in solving identified problems.