Stream now with KPBS+ / Watch Monday, March 9, 2026 at 8:30 p.m. on KPBS 2
The words "urban" and "forest" may sound like contradictory terms but our urban environments are, or could be, vast forests of street trees, park trees, and backyard trees. Trees are very important in the urban environment, where they serve many valuable purposes.
Andy Lipkis, world-renowned leader in urban forestry, is founder of Tree People in Los Angeles. We kick off this episode with Andy giving an overview and creating an appreciation for urban forestry. We meet him at TreePeople facilities in the Santa Monica Mountains where he tours us through demonstration and learning environments designed to serve and train a diverse audience.
Closer to home, we talk with politicians involved in the beginning of San Diego's urban forestry efforts. We get an update on the status of San Diego's urban forest, its management, and the conflicts inherent in the process.
We meet community members whose grass roots efforts save and protect heritage trees, school children learning about the value of trees and how to care for them, too. That discussion helps us understand what each of us can do to support trees in our neighborhoods and our communities. Along the way, we learn about selecting trees for our own gardens and neighborhoods.
Watch On Your Schedule: Episodes of A GROWING PASSION are available for streaming with KPBS+, a new free streaming video app designed for ease and enjoyment everywhere you watch including Roku, smart TVs and mobile devices. It’s locally curated for San Diego by the KPBS programming team. With a clean and intuitive design, discovering and enjoying KPBS and PBS content on-demand has never been easier.
You can also tune in live to watch our four TV channels in real time: KPBS, KPBS 2, Create, KPBS Kids 24/7. We also added a new channel - FNX (First Nation Experience).
Your KPBS Passport member benefit works on KPBS+ too! You’ll have access to even more great shows when you simply log in with your KPBS Passport account.
About The Series: Host Nan Sterman returns for Season 5 of A GROWING PASSION, a television show that celebrates all the ways that San Diego “grows,” from farms and nurseries to backyards and schoolyards, to native habitats and more.
