March 3, 2006 News Media Release

Neighbors help neighbors identify proper tree locations; pitch in to deliver, plant trees

Working hand-in-hand with the City of Austin, residents of Central East Austin will walk door-to-door in their neighborhoods this weekend volunteering to deliver free trees for their neighbors to help shade and beautify their community.

About two dozen volunteers will walk the neighborhoods bounded roughly by IH-35, Martin Luther King Boulevard, Seventh Street and Chicon identifying locations where trees are needed and leaving door hangers with return post cards at homes notifying the residents they can receive up to two 15-gallon trees for their yards from the City.

The volunteers will identify locations where either small trees that don't interfere with overhead utility lines such as Texas Mountain Laurel, Texas Redbud, Mexican Plum, Desert Willow and Yaupon can be planted. Or locations where taller trees are appropriate such as Bur Oak, Live Oak, Cedar Elm, Chinese Pistache and Chinquapin Oak. The volunteers place a small flag that has a color for either a small-growing tree or a larger tree in a spot where the tree should be planted. Then up to two types of door hangers, which correspond with the color of the flags, are left at the home.

Residents whose homes are selected simply fill out the postage paid post card and select which tree(s) they prefer depending on the size. The resident also signs the post card and agrees to water the tree every seven to 10 days for the next two years to help the tree get established.

Volunteers will regroup on Saturday, March 25, at the Carver Library where they will pick up the trees and deliver them to the residents and also assist with the planting.

The Central East Austin Neighborhood Planning area was selected for the project because of a relatively low tree canopy and also because it has an active neighborhood coalition (OCEAN: Organization of Central East Austin Neighborhoods) willing to help with the volunteer effort.

Austin Energy is funding this project by providing $50,000 to the City’s Urban Heat Island Initiative to increase shade and reduce temperatures created by the heat island phenomenon – which can make temperatures up to 8 degrees hotter than surrounding areas on warm, sunny days because of the heat absorption caused by dark roofs and pavement in urban areas.

Studies show that neighborhoods shaded with trees stay 3 to 4 degrees cooler than neighborhoods without trees and improve a home’s energy efficiency because of the cooler temperatures. Air conditioners shaded by trees work more efficiently and use up to 10% less electricity.

Austin Energy annually funds the planting of more than 7,000 trees in the Austin area through community initiatives and its own vegetation programs.

Media: Laura Patlove, with the City of Austin Neighborhood Planning & Zoning Department, will be available for interviews and can be reached by cell phone on the weekend to identify the locations of volunteers. Her cell phone number is 466-3489.

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For more information, contact Ed Clark, Public Information.
Phone: (512) 322-6514
Pager: (512) 802-2000