TREEmendous Projects

Super Grow XLV

The Texas Trees Foundation partnered with the National Football League (NFL) for Super Grow XLV as a key part of the NFL Environmental Program to help address environmental impacts associated with the production of Super Bowl XLV. The program included a planting in each of the 12 Super Bowl XLV host communities, an education and tree giveaway (up to 500 seedlings) at one school in each of the 12 Super Bowl XLV host communities, and a grand finale event at Cowboys Stadium as a celebration of the NFL Environmental Program. The partnership got over 6,000 trees planted in North Texas.

Tree the Town

Tree The Town is a citywide, public‐private program with an ambitious goal: to plant and care for 50,000 new trees. The program officially began April 18, with the planting of 100 trees sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas on the Central Trail at the Galatyn Plaza.The trees are being located along community trails and thoroughfares which could use more shade for hikers and bikers, or could use more trees to im‐ prove the landscaping along roadways. Some project locations are at: Central Trail south of the Galatyn Plaza and Routh Creek Parkway near the Spring Creek Nature area; medians on Arapaho Road west and east of Plano Road; medians on Campbell Road east of US75; and Duck Creek Linear Park west of Yale Boulevard.

Development Of The Katy Trail

Another opportunity for the Foundation, offered by the Union-Pacific Railroad, was the development of the KATY Trail. The Foundation secured the donation of a 3.7-mile section of the MKT line for the Dallas County to be used to form the KATY Trail. The plan called for the former railway to become a hike-and-bike trail connecting a number of neighborhood parks from north of downtown to Airline Drive at North Central Expressway. Landscape architecture students from the University of Texas at Arlington assisted in creating a master plan concept for the KATY Trail. The conceptual master plan won a student design competition by the American Society of Landscape Architects. For more trail information visit www.TexasTrails.org

Trees For Texas Program

With an emphasis on tree planting, the Foundation created a new program called TREES FOR DALLAS, (now TREES FOR TEXAS). Fina Corporation provided initial funding for the program. Working with neighborhood groups, schools, churches, other non-profit organizations and municipalities, the Foundation provides and/or plants trees on public property throughout the North Central Texas region. Any qualifying organization or group can participate in the program. Since its inception the Foundation has completed hundreds of tree planting projects, resulting in the planting of over 139,000 trees.

Highway Beautification

Following the merger, the Foundation’s first major project was initiated as a joint effort with the Texas Department of Transportation, Dallas District. The Dallas Parks Foundation facilitated the planting of 570 trees along the access roads of Woodall Rodgers Freeway from North Central Expressway to Stemmons Freeway. The Foundation secured the funding for and managed the installation of the trees. The total cost exceeded $200,000 in plant and irrigation materials.

In a joint effort with Texas DOT, more than 3780 trees have been planted along the Woodall Rodgers Freeway between North Central Expressway & Stemmons; at the interchange between Highway 75 & Woodall Rodgers Freeway and at the interchange of I-30 & Highway 80. Groundbreaking on this project occurred in January 2006. It will also serve as a carbon sequestration model for improved air quality, as well as a beautification project on freeway property owned and maintained by the Texas Department of Transportation.

Neighborhood Beautification

Through the TREES FOR TEXAS program, the Foundation acted as facilitator for a master plan for Dallas’ Oak Lawn neighborhood. With the assistance of teams of design professionals, the Foundation prepared and published plans to encourage consistency in streetscape design in the Oak Lawn district. Additionally, the Foundation transplanted over 80 trees from the City Place construction area to sites throughout Dallas, including the Dallas Convention Center, Zonta Park triangle, Griffin Street medians, and North Dallas High School.

Bachman Lake

When Joe’s Creek, a tribute of Bachman Lake in North Dallas was scheduled to become a concrete box culvert in the early 1950′s a group of area women organized to save the creek. In 1991, the next generation of residents joined to improve and beautify the creek. Neighborhood leaders approved a landscape development plan produced by the Foundation staff and, from 1991 to 1996, volunteers planted over 400 trees along a 3/4-mile strip of the creek. Families from around the area adopted trees and provide care and water on a weekly basis. The Foundation also assisted the neighborhood association in securing funding through the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for an Urban Wildlife Enhancement Project. The efforts of the neighbors along Joe’s Creek have inspired additional projects both up and down stream.

Love Field Gateway Project

In 1994 the Foundation received funding from the Texas Forest Service and the Small Business Administration for a tree-planting project at Love Field Airport in Dallas. The funds were matched with a previous grant from Southwest Airlines and 140 trees were planted at the corner of Mockingbird, and Denton Drives near the south end of the west runway. Known as the Love Field Gateway Project, the tree planting represented the culmination of several years of planning by the Urban Design Task Force, made up of architects, landscape architects and planners from around the area. The Foundation secured pro bono design services from Lambert’s Landscape Company and provided contract administration services for the Dallas Aviation Department.

Lancaster Rebirth

In the mid-1990s, Lancaster, Texas was the scene of a violent tornado that wiped out several hundred homes and devastated the downtown area. Following the disaster, the Foundation joined other groups as a member of the Lancaster ReBirth Committee. During 1994 and the first half of 1995, the Foundation facilitated a plan of action that called for a redesign of the Lancaster Central Business District (CBD), the replacement of thousands of mature native trees and the development of a greenbelt located within walking distance of downtown. The Foundation solicited the assistance of area landscape architects to serve on a task force for the CBD. A design was produced and presented to the Lancaster City Council. The landscape architecture students at the University of Texas at Arlington completed a master plan for the greenbelt area and the Foundation provided over 2,000 trees to stricken residents. The planting project culminated in a citywide celebration including an outdoor concert hosted by Willie Nelson.

Nancy’s Garden

The Foundation initiated two significant projects that helped establish it as a leader in park and open space development. The death of Nancy Dillard Lyon, a long time trustee and dedicated champion of the urban forest, prompted the consideration of the development of a park created in her memory. A fund raising effort led by Trustees secured over $140,000 from individuals, local foundations and the Texas Forest Service. The garden is a model for the xeriscape concept of landscape planting. Nancy’s Garden is the only public park facility in Dallas where native plant materials are used exclusively. The garden was completed in 1994 and was dedicated to the citizens of Dallas in August 1996.