Putting down roots in Easton Park
Putting down roots in Easton Park
Starting in November, Easton Park residents might see bright white plastic collars along the banks of Cottonmouth Creek on the north and south sides of William Cannon. These innovative catchments hold water to help new saplings grow. It’s all part of Easton Park’s new partnership with the Austin non-profit TreeFolks, an organization that empowers Central Texans to build stronger communities through planting and caring for trees. We sat down with TreeFolks team member Valerie Tamburri, Director of Reforestation & Lead Arborist, to get more details on the project and what it will mean for Easton Park.
More than 3 million trees!
Since its start in 1989, TreeFolks has planted more than 3 million trees in Austin and the six surrounding counties. “Several of our programs work collaboratively with the City of Austin” says Valerie. “One of the biggest is our NeighborWoods program, which provides City of Austin residents with 5 gallon trees that they can plant in their front or back yards. We host events all around Austin, usually in areas that need more tree coverage.”
Austin trees for Austin landscapes
Many of the saplings that TreeFolks plants have been grown from local seeds in the organization’s native tree nursery. “We work with volunteers to collect seeds from trees around Austin and the Hill Country,” Valerie says. “We want to use that native seed stock so the trees are resilient and genetically adapted for our area, in terms of things like rainfall and climate adaptation. We grow those into the seedlings that go back to our programs, continuing that cycle of reinforcing our ecosystem.”
Protecting Cottonmouth Creek
So how did TreeFolks grow a relationship with Easton Park? The trees along Cottonmouth Creek will be planted as part of the Central Texas Floodplain Reforestation Program, which is designed to reforest creeks and streams throughout seven counties. Some of the benefits of creekside planting include cooler water for aquatic life, erosion control, and filtering of pollutants from stormwater. “At Easton Park, our team will plant around 400 seedlings per acre, so around 6,000 trees,” Valerie says. “Some of the trees will get round plastic catchment boxes, which help to boost the survival rate because we don’t come back to water them. We plant in high density, mimicking nature, and then some die off.”
Earning carbon credits
After planting, TreeFolks registers the tree sites to generate carbon credits. “This protects the trees for 25 years, so landowners don’t cut them down,” Valerie says. “It’s a long term investment, and the carbon credit sales help offset the costs of the trees. Anyone can visit our marketplace page and offset their own carbon usage. We partner with City Forest Credits, a Seattle-based nonprofit carbon registry, which verifies each project through rigorous protocols. A lot of work goes into submitting reports each year and monitoring trees to make sure they’re meeting expected canopy growth goals, but we’re really proud of the high accountability standards they set.”
Growing community
While the trees along Cottonmouth Creek will be planted by TreeFolks’ professional arbor team, there are lots of ways for Easton Park residents to volunteer and get involved. “Our Community Tree Planting program is a great way for people to come plant trees and get a little dirty with us,” Valerie says. “We do a lot of plantings on Austin’s public lands, and people enjoy coming out and then watching their trees grow. It’s family friendly, and we have a lot of groups – work groups, scout groups, and clubs come out. We also have weekly volunteer events at our tree nursery. Folks can come to the nursery to learn how to plant and process seeds, work soil in planting tubes, and water trees — it’s a wonderful opportunity.”
Want to put down roots in Easton Park? Explore our builders and come find your home along Cottonmouth Creek, with more than 350+ acres of parks and more than 13 miles of trails.
