Volunteer Flyer for PoH TREES Program & Native Tree Planting Kick-off November 6th (Texas Arbor Day) Native Tree Planting
Background: Facilitated by Houston Wilderness, the Gulf-Houston Regional Conservation Plan (GulfHoustonRCP.org) is a long-term collaborative of environmental, business, and governmental entities working together to implement an ecosystem continuity and connectivity plan for the Gulf-Houston region through implementation of three key goals for enhanced resilience in the 8-county region. In addition to the Gulf-Houston RCP, the City of Houston’s Resilient Houston Plan includes a goal to plant 4.6 million new native trees by 2030. A Tree Strategy Implementation Group (TSIG) comprised of all the major large-scale native tree planters in the region, has created a strategy to accomplish the 4.6 million trees by 2030 goal. In celebration of Texas Arbor Day 2020, a press conference will be held during this Nov. 6th tree planting at Buffalo Bend Nature Park with governmental leaders, community partners and TSIG members.
Native Tree Species: In conjunction with other City departments, the Houston Health Department is also working with multiple community partners, including Houston Wilderness, Trees for Houston and Buffalo Bayou Partnership to combat climate change to protect the health of Houstonians. Air pollution in Houston is known to pose an increased risk of asthma attacks and cardiac arrest according to researchers at the Houston Health Department, Houston Fire Department, Rice University, and Baylor College of Medicine. HW staff researched, calculated and ranked the ecosystem services values associated with native tree species in our region and identified 12 of those native species with the highest combination of absorption of carbon dioxide and other air pollutants (greenhouse gases), and flood mitigation through rainfall interception/avoided runoff (now called the 12 “Super Trees").
Buffalo Bend Nature Park: Buffalo Bayou Partnership (BBP) worked with Harris County Precinct Two and other governmental agencies to acquire and develop this abandoned industrial property in Houston’s East End into a natural green space, now known as the Yolanda Black Navarro Buffalo Bend Nature Park. The property has been transformed from a construction fill site to a beautiful park that features three wetland ponds, a cistern, native plantings, pond overlook, interpretive signage and hike and bike trails. On November 6, 2020, 600 native Super Trees will be planted in the Nature Park.
Please join us as a volunteer group in the large-scale native tree planting on Friday, Nov. 6th and in the 4.6 million native trees by 2030 Texas Arbor Day Kick-off event! Date: Friday, November 6, 2020 (Texas Arbor Day) Volunteer Tree Planting: 8:30 am – 2pm Press Conference with City of Houston: Tentatively scheduled for 9 am Location (site): Buffalo Bend Nature Center - 2300 S Sgt Macario Garcia Dr, Houston, TX 77011 Tree Species Total #: 600 3-gallon Super Tree species Volunteer Group: Mixed corporate groups (TBA) – with social distancing # of volunteers: 200-300 Parking Location: 2300 S Sgt Macario Garcia Dr, Houston, TX 77011 Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/zrqk5LAouxhkMCNB8 (29.751299, -95.297775)
Native Super Tree Species to be planted: For volunteer form: Live Oak Laurel Oak Red Maple River Birch American Elm Tuliptree http://houstonwilderness.org American Sycamore Green Ash Loblolly Pine White Ash /planttrees Boxelder