Austin Community Tree Program report in Word Doc Format
Many neighbors, members of NACA, and UT students came out on Friday, November 14 and Saturday, November 15 to complete the Austin Community Tree Program. Through much enjoyable effort 836 trees of six varieties were delivered to schools, apartment complexes and multi and single family residents throughout the NACA area. A special thanks to the Ideal Charter School for participating in the two Block Walks and the big event day.
On Friday, teams of volunteers, some from the University of Texas and Community Court, unloaded the trees as they were delivered from nurseries. After unloading, the trees were counted, color coded and then sorted into the respective sectors for delivery the following day. Mulch was delivered by the Park and Recreation Department and again volunteers attacked the huge pile to shovel seven to ten shovel scopes into each large paper leaf bag. Several large orders of trees were picked up on Friday, but Saturday was the time for the major effort of volunteers with their pickup trucks that moved the trees to their final destination.
Thanks go to Principe de Paz Church for the use of their property for staging the event and to the Settlement Home for use of its facilities during the Block Walks. Several NACA members were involved from the beginning of the program which has been in the planning stage for many months. These volunteers are Eleanor Langsdorf, Melinda and Dominic Schiera, Caro Dubois, June Deluca, Gabe Rojas and Brian & Virginia Almon. Thanks to City of Austin employees, Michael Embesi, City arborist and Donna Arwood. Special thanks to Margaret Valenti from the Planning and Development Review Department of the City of Austin for keeping us on track through the project. Donations of food for the event are described in a separate article.
Next year, the Austin Community Tree Program will be going to Heritage Hills/ Windsor Hills neighborhood and planning begins in January.