Social Forest: Oaks of Tovaangar
Inspired by Joseph Beuys’s groundbreaking 7000 Oaks project, Social Forest: Oaks of Tovaangar brings new meaning to his vision of environmental action. In 1982, Beuys began planting 7,000 trees throughout Kassel, Germany, accompanied by stone markers, to reckon with the traumas of World War II. Four decades later, The Broad’s reforestation project applies this concept to Los Angeles, addressing both ecology and environmental repair and the ongoing reconciliation with historical trauma.
The title Social Forest expresses the connection between humans and the environment, while Oaks of Tovaangar names the land in the Tongva (Gabrielino) language. The project is part of an ongoing reckoning with the historic and current impacts of colonialism and white supremacy occurring in the United States. With this context at the forefront...
Inspired by Joseph Beuys’s groundbreaking 7000 Oaks project, Social Forest: Oaks of Tovaangar brings new meaning to his vision of environmental action. In 1982, Beuys began planting 7,000 trees throughout Kassel, Germany, accompanied by stone markers, to reckon with the traumas of World War II. Four decades later, The Broad’s reforestation project applies this concept to Los Angeles, addressing both ecology and environmental repair and the ongoing reconciliation with historical trauma.
The title Social Forest expresses the connection between humans and the environment, while Oaks of Tovaangar names the land in the Tongva (Gabrielino) language. The project is part of an ongoing reckoning with the historic and current impacts of colonialism and white supremacy occurring in the United States. With this context at the forefront, Social Forest is shaped in partnership with leaders from the Tongva community, in recognition of the deep history of the Tongva people who have called this land home for thousands of years, and celebrating their thrivance—their radical prosperity and resistance, beyond base survival.
To execute the planting of 100 California native oak trees in Elysian Park’s Chávez Ridge area, The Broad has partnered with North East Trees, a community-based non-profit that engages in conservation projects throughout the city of Los Angeles. Similar to 7000 Oaks, which employed the use of basalt stones local to Germany to mark each planting, each of the new trees along Park Row Drive grow next to a naturally shaped boulder made of sandstone local to Los Angeles. At Kuruvungna Village Springs, a sacred Tongva site where a natural spring emerges, five oak trees were planted. These trees and stones support the Gabrielino Tongva Springs Foundation’s work to restore and steward this important site while nurturing Tongva culture and history.
Social Forest Digital Curriculum
Social Forest: Oaks of Tovaangar is an online curriculum designed to increase students' cultural, historical and environmental scientific knowledge of Tovaangar (the Los Angeles Basin) from a distinctly Native, Tongva (Gabrielino) perspective. It teaches students how the Tongva way of life worked with the natural environment, rather than against it, and invites students to consider how we might live differently in contemporary Tovaangar.
Consisting of four lessons (30-60 min each) covering: People; Place; Science; and Art, the curriculum is organized to accommodate a variety of classroom and teaching styles. Included are short readings, images, discussion questions, Tongva language vocabulary, and printable worksheets. The curriculum was developed by The Broad as part of PST: Art + Science Collide, Southern California's landmark arts event, presented by The Getty, in partnership with museums and institutions across the region.
Never Stop Planting: Social Forest Community Celebration
On February 8, 2025, community members and organizations gathered in Elysian Park for the inaugural planting of native oaks as part of Social Forest. The day featured nature-based workshops and hands-on activities led by Indigenous Tongva (Gabrielino) artists and educators, alongside local environmental groups. Attendees experienced Tongva language and cultural concepts, explored native plants and traditional acorn processing, joined guided nature walks, played games, and contributed to the planting of native oak trees—fostering a deeper connection to the land and its original stewards.
Visiting Social Forest
Elysian Park Site
Elysian Park is the city's oldest park, owned by the City of Los Angeles and managed by the Department of Recreation and Parks. The project extends along portions of Park Row Drive and Grand View Drive for approximately .75 miles. Starting from the pin on the map, walk north up Park Row Drive to spot the young oaks and their neighboring boulders.
Open seven days a week from sunrise to sunset. See more details here
Kuruvunga Springs Site
Kuruvungna is a sacred site, home to a spring. It is also the historical location of a significant Tongva village that today is protected, preserved, and restored by the Gabrielino-Tongva Springs Foundation. The site is located at University High School in Los Angeles.
Navigate to Kuruvungna Springs
Opened to the public the first Saturday of each month from 10 am - 3 pm. See more details here
About Joseph Beuys: In Defense of Nature
Joseph Beuys: In Defense of Nature was a free exhibition at The Broad that explored the legacy of one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. The exhibition emphasized Beuys’s commitment to environmental justice through his intertwined artmaking and political action. Known for his belief in art as a tool for societal transformation, Beuys used his creativity to model how art can inspire change—a vision that is more urgent than ever in the face of today’s climate crisis.
Curated by The Broad’s Sarah Loyer and Beuys scholar Andrea Gyorody, the exhibition reflects Beuys’s groundbreaking ideas alongside Social Forest: Oaks of Tovaangar, The Broad’s major reforestation initiative presented as part of Getty’s PST ART: Art & Science Collide. Together, these initiatives celebrate the power of art and action in shaping our future.
Hero shot: Elon Schoenholz Photography
Never Stop Planting Photos (L to R clockwise): Photo 1 and 3 by Salvador Ceja Garcia; Photos 2 and 4 by Elon Schoenholz Photography
Joseph Beuys Gallery Shot: Installation view of Joseph Beuys: In Defense of Nature at The Broad, Los Angeles, November 17, 2024, to March 23, 2025. Photo by Joshua White/JWPictures.com.