TreePeople Volunteer Spotlight: Osvaldo Pedro

Hi Treeps,

None of our work to make a greener and healthier Los Angeles would be possible without our amazing volunteers! Volunteers come from all walks of life and have helped us plant and care for trees in both our mountain restoration and urban forestry projects, distributed fruit trees to residents, and so much more.

Today, we’re featuring one of our volunteers in Southeast LA, Osvaldo Pedro, who has been working with us since he was in high school and has done so much for his local community in Huntington Park!

What inspired you to volunteer for TreePeople?

My friends back in 2012 invited me out to an event and I've been enjoying them ever since.

What was your favorite volunteer event and what made it special?

From recent memory it would have to be the event we had with Benki Piyãko, just an overall great experience meeting him and being able to plant a tree with the man was wonderful.

What is your favorite tree? Why?

The Hong Kong Orchid. I’d say it's my favorite due to it being the one I've planted the most as well as being the first tree I got to plant with TreePeople.

Where are you from originally? What makes it special?

I’m from Walnut Park but I consider it to be an extension of Huntington Park; it’s the place I grew up and have been all my life.

What’s your favorite local outdoor space?

Around where I currently live, it would have to be Bethune Park; I love taking my dog for a walk there and the people are nice to speak with as well.

If you could have dinner with any person (living or dead) who would it be and why?

I’d love to have a one-on-one conversation with Joe Rogan, he’s spoken to so many people it would be interesting to see what I could pick his brain for.

What’s your most-played song?

“Drown” by Bring Me the Horizon

Is there anything you’d like to share with anyone who is interested in volunteering with TreePeople?

If you’re skeptical about coming out to an event, just give it a shot and you’ll be surprised at how fun it is along with meeting some great people. I started when I was about 15. Now I'm 24 and I still enjoy coming out to these events.

Los Angeles-based TreePeople is the region’s largest environmental movement, whose mission is to inspire, engage and support people to take personal responsibility for the urban environment. Visit us at treepeople.org and learn how you can join our cause.