Valley Businessman Donates 1,000 Trees to L.A. : Beautification: The gift is announced as officials outline an effort to create a greener city.

An effort to make the city of Los Angeles greener got a boost Monday from a San Fernando Valley business that donated 1,000 trees to be planted citywide.

The donation was announced at a special joint meeting of two city committees convened to develop a plan to increase the number of trees on city streets, parks and other open spaces.

John Boething, president of Treeland Farms Inc. of Woodland Hills, donated 1,000 drought-resistant trees, saying he hopes they will help beautify the city.

Boething downplayed his donation, however, saying the tree industry is struggling with an overabundance of trees but not enough demand. “The giving of trees isn’t that honorable,” he said. “It’s nice, but not as much as the giving of your time” to plant the trees.

The two committees--the City Council’s Environmental Quality and Waste Management Committee and the city Environmental Affairs Commission--met for the first time to hear suggestions on ways to advance the “greening of Los Angeles.” It is an effort that was lauded by environmentalists.

“For those of us who have dreamed of greening the city, this is a dream come true,” said Andy Lipkis, president of TreePeople, a nonprofit educational organization that promotes urban forestry.

Lipkis and the heads of other environmental groups suggested that the city not only work to increase the tree population but also teach citizens how to care for existing trees.

The meeting was attended by about 50 citizens, representatives of various environmental groups and city officials who oversee parks and street landscaping.

The City Council’s environmental quality committee, led by Valley Councilwoman Laura Chick, instructed city officials to work with environmental groups to develop a plan for planting Boething’s trees. The committee also suggested that the city study the idea of creating a “tree bank” where community groups could get free or low-cost trees.

Chick also asked that planning and environmental development officials evaluate the city’s permit process to make tree planting easier and study the feasibility of establishing a computer bank to keep track of the city’s trees.

She asked that city officials return within 45 days with a report on these matters.