Westside : San Fernando Valley : A Project That Aims to Cast Long Shadows

If Hector Manuel Briones has his way, graceful Chinese pistache trees will eventually shade Sunland Boulevard in Sun Valley.

But first, Briones and Neighborhood Empowerment and Economic Development Inc. will start the trees from 36-inch saplings.

The greening effort is part of $500,000 in grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Urban Resources Partnership, announced Monday by Mayor Richard Riordan and Agriculture Undersecretary James Lyons.

Birmingham High School in Van Nuys, the West Valley Occupational Center in Woodland Hills, the state Department of Parks and Recreation in Calabasas, the Environmental Ministries in Reseda, Madison High School in North Hollywood, the Reseda Chamber of Commerce and Briones’ organization were among the 39 Los Angeles projects to share in the grant money that funds the creation of mid-city gardens and habitat restoration.

The Reseda chamber will use its $8,000 grant to plant topiaries in front of the Reseda Boulevard police substation and to train vines to cover the stucco building.

In Sun Valley, 72 Chinese pistache trees will replace the existing trees in the Sunland Boulevard-Vineland Avenue corridor between Strathern Street and San Fernando Road.

The pistaches, which grow to 60 feet and turn crimson in the fall, will arrive between February and June of next year.

“There’s something pleasant about trees along a busy traffic corridor,” Briones said.