Beautiful trees are part of what makes the Rosedale neighborhood so special. Rosedale’s history helps explain why we have such a concentration of towering trees, but many of our trees are getting ‘long in the tooth’ and will be gone before you know it. TreeFolks, a central Texas charity promoting urban forestry, distributes FREE trees that can help replenish Rosedale’s stock of leafy shade providers.
TreeFolks plants more than 10,000 trees a year, more than a quarter million since 1989. As a part of building on that success, TreeFolks is inviting Rosedale residents to plant free trees in their yards through their NeighborWoods program. A joint program of TreeFolks, the City of Austin’s Urban Forestry Program and Austin Energy, NeighborWoods works to lower summer temperatures and reduce energy consumption by investing in tree canopy cover for Austin’s neighborhoods.
The program requires that the location of the tree be appropriate (to either a large stature tree or an ‘understory’ tree that they would provide), and that the resident agrees to plant the tree and keep it watered for the first two years. TreeFolks targets neighborhoods for this program but also invites residents in any neighborhood to request that their yard be evaluated to be considered for participation.
TreeFolks were instrumental in the planting of dozens of trees in Rosedale’s Ramsey park as well as for many of the younger quality trees that beautifying Rosedale yards today. TreeFolks periodically adjusts the variety of trees that they are promoting and are currently offering Cedar Elm, Chinkapin Oak, Mexican White Oak, Montezuma Cypress, Texas Mountain Laurel, Fig “Texas Everbearing”, and Eve’s Necklace.
TreeFolks delivers the trees, along with planting and watering instructions, between October and March.
Visit the TreeFolks site to find out more and to request an evaluation of your yard for a potential free tree.