Mobility Authority Partners with TreeFolks to Plant Trees at Pecan Springs Elementary School

Community tree planting event to be held on school grounds Friday, Oct. 26

(Austin, Texas) – The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (Mobility Authority), in partnership with TreeFolks and the City of Austin, will host a community tree planting event at Pecan Springs Elementary School on Friday, Oct. 26, in an effort to increase the school’s tree canopy for the benefit of students and the surrounding community.

Volunteers at the event, which runs from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., will plant fifteen trees on the school grounds. The five- and 10-gallon sized trees will include Texas Persimmon, Cedar Elm, Brown Turkey Fig, and Desert Willow trees.

The tree planting event is made possible thanks to the Mobility Authority’s 183 South Project community outreach program and the Urban Forest Grant. The two organizations jointly funded the installation of an irrigation system at the school. Watering is often the primary barrier to planting near schools, and this irrigation system will keep the newly-planted trees watered throughout the school year and hot Texas summers. The school did not previously have a tree watering system in place so the new irrigation system will greatly increase the trees’ chances of survival.

“We are excited to continue supporting the meaningful work of TreeFolks,” said Mike Heiligenstein, Executive Director for the Mobility Authority. “While focused on transportation, we are proud of our work of preserving and enhancing our urban tree canopy. We are proud to help bring the TreeFolks vision to life while enabling greater exposure to natural greenspaces for local youth.”

TreeFolks is proud to team up with its longtime supporter to enhance this local schoolyard. Since 2014, the Mobility Authority has been the presenting sponsor of TreeFolks’ community tree planting and education programs.

Thais Perkins, Executive Director of TreeFolks, said, “This school has needed trees in their outdoor spaces for a very long time. This planting is a stellar example of what can happen in a community when we join hands, and The Mobility Authority has been a truly valuable and committed partner in greening not only Pecan Springs, but other schools and the surrounding community as well.”

TreeFolks welcomes volunteers of all ages and abilities to the tree planting event. Volunteer supervisors will work with small groups of volunteers to provide guidance and ensure quality during planting, while providing an educational experience.

WHO: The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority, TreeFolks, City of Austin, Austin Independent School District and community members surrounding Pecan Springs Elementary School
WHAT: Tree Planting at Pecan Springs Elementary School
WHEN: Friday, Oct. 26, 2018 from 10 a.m.– 12 p.m.
WHERE: Pecan Springs Elementary School, 3100 Rogge Ln, Austin, Texas, 78723
WHY: To strengthen the urban tree canopy at Pecan Springs Elementary for the benefit of students and the surrounding community

If you would like more information, please contact Jessica T. Brown at 512-443-5323 or [email protected]. More information about the volunteer event is online at www.treefolks.org.

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About the Mobility Authority:
The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority is a local, independent government agency created in 2002 to improve the regional transportation system in Travis and Williamson Counties. The Mobility Authority implements innovative and sustainable transportation options to enhance quality of life and economic vitality in Central Texas. The Mobility Authority operates 183A Toll in Williamson County, 290 Toll in east Austin, the 71 Toll Lane in east Austin, and the MoPac Express Lane in Central Austin. The agency is also finishing construction of the eight-mile 183 South Project in east Austin, and constructing the four-mile SH 45SW toll road between FM 1626 and MoPac in southern Travis and northern Hays counties. For more information about the Mobility Authority, visit www.MobilityAuthority.com.

About TreeFolks
TreeFolks is the only nonprofit in Central Texas that promotes comprehensive urban forestry practices to public, private and government audiences. Established in 1989, TreeFolks has planted over 2.8 million trees in Central Texas on public and private land, has worked to restore the Lost Pines ecosystem after the Bastrop fires of 2011, and has worked to restore the Blanco River after the floods of 2015. TreeFolks’ work preserves quality of life by cooling the air, cleaning precious water, sheltering us from the hot Texas sun, and by providing a shaded sense of place that fosters a healthy, connected community. We are looking to the future even as we celebrate almost 30 years of serving Central Texas.