News & Events
Arbor Day
Celebrating the Future
Arbor
Day in Texas is always the last Friday in April. To be exact,
this year it’s April 25th and it’s a day to celebrate the future
by planting a tree. They say the best time to plant a tree was
50 years ago, the next best time is now. Celebrate Arbor Day by
planting a tree. Make it an event, name the tree, gather a
group of friends together to help plant a tree – or three or
more!
Many of the trees that grace our parks, boulevards, yards and
schools, were planted on Arbor Day. J. Sterling Morton, the
founder of Arbor Day wrote “Other days repose upon the past.
Arbor Day proposes for the future.”
We at the Texas Trees Foundation celebrates the future everyday
by growing more than 68,000 native trees that we plant and sale
throughout North Central Texas. Our mission is to “green North
Central Texas.” Since 1982 we have planted more than 139,000
trees on boulevards, along highways, on school grounds and
throughout cities and neighborhoods. We love trees and we know
that trees make the quality of life for Texas residents better.
Help us grow and plant more trees. Plant a tree and make a
donation, make a donation and we’ll plant a tree for you! Visit
our website at
www.texastreesfoundation.org to make a contribution , find
instructions on how to correctly plant and care for trees or to
sign up to be a Texas Trees Foundation volunteer.
To contact the Texas Trees Foundation call, 214.953.1184 or
write to: Texas Trees Foundation, 2100 Ross Avenue, Suite 975,
Dallas, Texas 75201.
Pioneer Plaza
Completing the Herd
Each year, Pioneer Plaza, located adjacent to the Dallas
Convention Center, draws a huge number of visitors to downtown
Dallas. Whether standing alongside of one of the 1200 pound
Texas Longhorns or looking up at one of the three monumental
cowboys, you are taken back in time to the rough and risky life
of the cowboy herding longhorns along dusty trails. The
representation of this important part of Texas history has
become a landmark for the city and is often seen in local
television broadcasts, especially during NFL games and PGA golf
tournaments. It also appears as the backdrop for numerous
wedding portraits and family gatherings.
The
idea for the bronze trail drive emerged from the creative mind
of international real estate developer Trammell Crow and was
sponsored by the Dallas Trees and Parks Foundation (now known as
the Texas Trees Foundation). The first steer in the herd and
the monumental Trail Boss were unveiled at a dedication on
September 21, 1993. Since that time, 39 additional Texas
Longhorns have been added, along with two additional cowboys;
the Black Cutter and the Vaquero. However, until now the herd
has been incomplete. On March 28th, nine additional monumental
bronze Texas Longhorns will join the herd and the finishing
touches will be added to this iconic piece of Dallas’
landscape.
The Foundation spearheaded the project to honor the history of
Trail Drives in Texas and to honor the hard working, but
visionary settlers buried in the Pioneer Cemetery. It was
designed to focus on a legacy of the past by bringing into the
center of a cosmopolitan urban setting the largest bronze
monument in the country. Visitors lounge in the shade of the
trees at Pioneer Plaza, wade in the stream and examine the
sculptures and wonder about the past while looking up at the
high rises that reach into the Dallas skyline. Their minds
reflect... “We’ve come a long way…”
Joining Mr. Crow in the planning and implementation of the dream
that became the Trail Drive at Pioneer Plaza, were co-chairs
Diane Scovell, Jack Beckman and the late Jim Lake. With the
addition of the final nine longhorns, their dream has become a
reality. It is a legacy that honors the past and will be
enjoyed by visitors from around the corner and around the world
for decades to come.
The Trail Drive at Pioneer Plaza is a project of the Texas Trees
Foundation, Janette Monear, Executive Director. Special thanks
to Michael Kendall; Kendall Landscape Architecture, Jim Bowman
Construction, Robert Summers; Artist and to the Texas Trees
Foundation Board of Trustees; Bobby B. Lyle, Chairman, Don M.
Glendenning, Dan E. Patterson, Diane Scovell, Karen Carrera,
Stanley R. Levenson, Walter Dahlberg, Martha Gallier, Warren J.
‘Bud’ Melton, Karen Robinson, and Merrie Spaeth.
For additional information contact Jack Beckman, 214.543.2856 or
Janette Monear, Executive Director, Texas Trees Foundation,
214.273.6688
In the Spotlight
Don Glendenning, Board
Member, Receives Jurisprudence Award
The Anti-Defamation League honored Don Glendenning with a luncheon at the Fairmont Hotel and presented him with the Larry Schoenbrun Jurisprudence Award in recognition of his devotion to the principles enshrined in the constitution.
As a Board Member of the Texas Trees Foundation, Don lends his expertise and legal counsel in forging the future of our Foundation.
We congratulate Don on his
achievements. No one
is more deserving of the accolades as expressed by his peers
Committed to Community Growth Campaign
On Thursday,
December 6th the Texas Trees Foundation was recognized by TXU
Energy and the Dallas Morning News in their Committed
to Community
Growth Campaign.
The TTF was featured in a full size ad and article in the
Dallas Morning News and recognized at a breakfast hosted at the
Fairmont Hotel in Dallas.
The Dallas Morning News also presented the TTF with a
generous donation.
We cherish this partnership with TXU Energy and
appreciate the generous support that they have provided over the
past years.
TREEmendous Projects
Throughout North Central Texas you can see where the Texas
Trees Foundation is working hard with communities to beautify
our public open spaces.
From Cedar Hill to Seagoville, Turtle Creek to the Town
of Westlake, the Foundation has partnered with communities and
neighborhoods to plant over 500 trees in the last quarter!
What does that mean to you and me?
Beyond aesthetics and emotional well being, trees perform
important functions that protect and enhance city dwellers’
health and property.
Trees clean the air by absorbing air pollutants and
releasing oxygen while contributing to a community’s economy and
way of life.
Here are a few examples of how communities and municipalities are making a difference...
Bluegreen Corporation requested that the
Foundation plant 120 ten gallon trees in their Lake Ridge at Joe
Pool Lake development in Cedar Hill as part of a mitigation
agreement with the Corps of Engineers. To ensure the survival of
the trees, BlueGreen utilized the OozeTube irrigation system of
large irrigation bags placed around the base of the trees.
The OozeTube will only need filling every few weeks and
slow drips in to the ground.
This project was a great success thanks to Raymond
Kieffer, Project Manager for Lake Ridge and the staff of
Bluegreen Corporation.
Turtle Creek Association recently came to
the Foundation for twelve large
trees planted along the banks of Turtle Creek.
In an area such as Turtle Creek the trees will help to
sustain the banks along the creek and provide privacy to the
residents. Under
the leadership of Larry Hochberg and Charles Koetting,
members of Turtle Creek Association and the City of Dallas
Parks and Recreation Dept. this project is a great success.
Fall 2007 Volunteers: Hard at Work
Volunteers are the backbone of the Texas Trees Foundation.
Repotting trees, pruning and weeding are some of the jobs
volunteers do…..best of all, everyone has a great time being
with others and making a difference in the reforestation efforts
of the Foundation.
The Foundation hosted several volunteer groups this past fall.
Over 110 VHA employees worked throughout the
TXU Urban Tree Farm on a weekday in October. "I love
planting and growing things for my own landscape at home, so
moving plants and repotting trees seemed like a good job for me.
I was exhausted at the end of the afternoon, but it was a good
use of my day. I can envision those trees in 10 years, and
they will be beautiful wherever they are planted across Texas",
says Lynn Gentry, Senior Director, Public Relations &
Editorial Services with VHA.
Once again, TXU Energy and their cooperative
volunteer partners showed up in full force in early November at
Hamilton Park Urban Tree Farm. In only four hours
volunteers repotted 2,600 two gallon red buds to five gallon
containers. Students from Cesar Chavez Elementary
School, and employees from TXU Energy worked
continuously one Saturday morning in early November to get the
job done.
To everyone who participated in these great events, we owe you
TREEmendous THANKS and we look forward to having you back again!
Join us the first and third Saturday of each month from 8:00
a.m.- Noon at the farm for a morning of tree transplanting and
educational opportunities from our professional and
knowledgeable staff. For a complete schedule, or contact
our office at (214)953-1184.
Part Time & Full Time Jobs Available
Texas Trees Foundation, the oldest non profit tree planting organization seeks two to four part time employees to fill positions at the TXU Energy Urban Tree Farm at Richland College. Responsibilities will include: transplanting, pruning, irrigation maintenance and general tree nursery production. Landscaping or Horticulture a plus.
For further information contact: Amy James at 214.953.1184 x 2 or amy@texastreesfoundation.org.
Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteers are the driving force of the Foundation. Volunteers work together to support tree planting efforts throughout North Central Texas area.
- Every first Saturday of each month from 8A-12N at our Hamilton Park Urban Tree Farm located at 8700 LBJ Freeway, Dallas 75243. (on the southwest corner of TI Blvd, across the street from the DART lite rail) Volunteers will have the opportunity to plant, trans-plant and learn about trees.
- Every third Saturday of each month from 8A-12N at our TXU
Energy Urban Tree Farm at Richland College located at 12800 Abrams Road, Dallas 75243 (in the "D" parking lot) Volunteers will have the opportunity to plant, trans-plant and learn about trees.
Volunteers are asked to bring a pair of gardening gloves, wear old clothes and shoes that are appropriate for the weather. You may bring your own water or water will be provided.
In the case of inclement weather, the volunteer day may be cancelled or delayed. For updated information, please contact Lucia Alba, Tree Farm Manager, at (978) 335-4788 or email her at lucia@texastreesfounation.org.
Look forward to having a TREEMENDOUS good time!!