First Trees For Treefolk’s Blanco River Reforestation Project

Pilot project sites will receive trees to restore the Blanco River on Feb. 5

 

WHO: Andreina “Ina” Alexatos , Blanco River Reforestation Coordinator for TreeFolks

         Matt Mears, Reforestation Manager for TreeFolks

         Brooke Leftwich, Manager of Five Mile Dam Park

         Will Conley, Hays County Commissioner

         Charles Criswell, Resident of the Cliffside subdivision along River Road in Wimberley, TX

         AmeriCorps volunteers, American Youth Works

 

WHAT: TreeFolks and AmeriCorps volunteers from American Youth Works will plant seedlings for a pilot project site of the Blanco River           Reforestation Project at Five Mile Dam in San Marcos, TX. The pilot project was commissioned by Hays County to develop a plan to restore native trees to riparian areas along the Blanco River in Hays County.

 

WHEN: February 5, 2016 between the hours of 9:00 am and 3:00 pm
         
Commissioner Conley will be on site at 10:00 am

 

WHERE: Five Mile Dam Park, 4440 S. Old Stagecoach Road, San Marcos, TX 78666

 

WHY:    The purpose of the Blanco River Reforestation Project is to give nature a helping hand in reforesting the banks of the Blanco River that were severely damaged in recent floods over the Memorial Day weekend last spring. Healthy, functioning riparian areas help absorb and filter water, provide wildlife habitat, reduce erosion, and will help dissipate energy from future flood events. Trees and other vegetation along river banks are as important to river ecosystems as the land and the water; maintaining the balance among these forces is critical for making riverside areas more resilient to natural disasters.

 

ABOUT THE BLANCO RIVER REFORESTATION PROJECT:  The Blanco River Reforestation Project is a part of TreeFolks’ Reforestation program to restore forests that are damaged in natural disasters in Central Texas. TreeFolks is currently in the pilot project phase that was commissioned and funded by Hay County in late 2015. TreeFolks consults with landowners along the Blanco River in Hays County and develops a planting plan tailored to the conditions of each site and availability of seedlings. So far, TreeFolks has received 200 applications from property owners and reforestation efforts are expected to span multiple years. To learn more about the project or to make a donation toward the purchase of trees for Blanco River reforestation, please visit BlancoTrees.org.

OUR MISSION: TreeFolks empowers Central Texans to build stronger communities through planting and caring for trees.