More trees. More shade. Healthier schoolyards. 

October 26, 2026 – CAL FIRE officials report that nearly 2.6 million California students attend schools where trees cover 5% or less of the areas where they play and spend time outdoors (according to a new EdSource analysis).

We’re helping change that. Since 2022, California has invested more than $156 million through CAL FIRE’s Green Schoolyards program, supporting projects at more than 215 campuses and helping plant thousands of trees in communities across the state.

The goal goes beyond adding shade. Greener schoolyards can reduce extreme heat, create outdoor learning spaces, and give students healthier places to learn and play.

Read more about the need and the work underway to make California schoolyards greener.

For more information visit EdSource.org.

Related: CAL FIRE Spotlights Green Schoolyard Grant Funding Awarded to Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust

Source: CAL FIRE