1
00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:02,866
Howdy, folks. I'm 
John Hart Asher.

2
00:00:02,866 --> 00:00:07,100
The past few years have been 
really hard on our trees.

3
00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:10,533
Aside from February's

4
00:00:10,533 --> 00:00:11,900
freeze, lack of consistent

5
00:00:11,900 --> 00:00:15,033
ground- soaking rain 
has felled a lot of our

6
00:00:15,033 --> 00:00:16,666
shade- producing trees

7
00:00:16,666 --> 00:00:19,966
that also provide 
vital, vital wildlife habitat.

8
00:00:20,433 --> 00:00:23,333
In addition, many 
have been impacted

9
00:00:23,766 --> 00:00:27,000
by growing construction in urban 
and our urban areas.

10
00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:30,900
So today, TreeFolks 
executive director Andrew Smile

11
00:00:30,900 --> 00:00:35,000
and education coordinator Collin 
McMichael keep Austin

12
00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:36,166
rooted to combat

13
00:00:36,300 --> 00:00:39,966
the urban heat island effect 
and tree canopy inequality.

14
00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:42,233
Great to see you both. Hi.

15
00:00:42,900 --> 00:00:44,166
Thanks for having us here.

16
00:00:44,166 --> 00:00:45,966
Really appreciate 
the opportunity to

17
00:00:45,966 --> 00:00:48,166
share a little info 
about keeping Austin rooted.

18
00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:51,000
Wonderful. Well, Andrew, 
let's start with you first.

19
00:00:52,433 --> 00:00:57,966
Who or what is TreeFolks? Three 
million trees over 30 years.

20
00:00:58,633 --> 00:01:01,400
Wow. Yeah, that's TreeFolks.

21
00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:03,133
Big accomplishment.

22
00:01:03,266 --> 00:01:06,700
And of course, we started 
as a very small community

23
00:01:06,700 --> 00:01:08,833
based organization, 
a group of friends.

24
00:01:09,700 --> 00:01:13,200
We're talking about 
how can we help save the world?

25
00:01:13,233 --> 00:01:16,333
How can we locally 
address climate change?

26
00:01:16,733 --> 00:01:19,033
And as a result of 
that conversation,

27
00:01:19,033 --> 00:01:20,800
they decided to plant trees

28
00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:23,300
and they planted 
trees in their yards.

29
00:01:23,333 --> 00:01:24,400
They planted trees in their

30
00:01:24,566 --> 00:01:28,333
neighbor's yard at schools 
and other public spaces.

31
00:01:28,833 --> 00:01:32,200
And once they built up 
a bit of momentum,

32
00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:34,733
well, the city of Austin

33
00:01:34,733 --> 00:01:38,600
and Austin AISD and other 
entities really took notice

34
00:01:38,966 --> 00:01:42,800
and started supporting TreeFolks 
and that mission

35
00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:44,500
to plant more trees.

36
00:01:44,500 --> 00:01:46,833
But it's also about 
building community.

37
00:01:47,333 --> 00:01:48,733
So for the first

38
00:01:48,733 --> 00:01:52,566
20 years of our existence, 
we really focused on mobilizing

39
00:01:52,566 --> 00:01:56,600
the community to plant 
and care for trees.

40
00:01:57,266 --> 00:01:59,966
And of course, education 
was a big part of that, too.

41
00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:03,933
All right. Well, Collin, 
we hear a lot about the heat

42
00:02:03,933 --> 00:02:05,533
island effect, especially,

43
00:02:05,533 --> 00:02:09,400
you know, it is a plague to 
urban areas and has a big impac

44
00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:11,433
to human health and well-being,

45
00:02:11,433 --> 00:02:15,666
especially on, you know, 
minority populations.

46
00:02:16,233 --> 00:02:19,400
How does the urban canopy 
make a difference

47
00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:23,900
and what is really that 
significance of tree inequality

48
00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:28,200
Well, here in Austin, urban 
canopy is not really distribute

49
00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:30,266
equally across the entire city.

50
00:02:30,266 --> 00:02:34,133
So we see a lot more trees in 
West Austin where we have a mor

51
00:02:34,133 --> 00:02:35,533
affluent population.

52
00:02:35,533 --> 00:02:37,500
And in East Austin, 
where we have a more

53
00:02:37,500 --> 00:02:38,500
historically underserved

54
00:02:38,733 --> 00:02:41,500
population, we don't really have 
any canopy at all.

55
00:02:41,900 --> 00:02:45,733
And the thing there is that 
the trees really help with urba

56
00:02:45,733 --> 00:02:46,766
heat island effect.

57
00:02:47,066 --> 00:02:50,366
So urban heat island effects 
come around because there's low

58
00:02:50,366 --> 00:02:53,600
albedo, there's high thermal 
bulk in the building materials.

59
00:02:53,866 --> 00:02:55,633
So cities heat up.

60
00:02:55,633 --> 00:02:58,766
If you shade those things, 
though, with tree canopy,

61
00:02:58,766 --> 00:03:01,433
then they don't heat up 
as much during the day.

62
00:03:01,466 --> 00:03:04,966
So we found well, 
not us, but people have found

63
00:03:04,966 --> 00:03:05,733
there was a study

64
00:03:06,233 --> 00:03:08,366
recently done by I think it was 
Concordia University,

65
00:03:08,366 --> 00:03:10,600
If you hit the 40 
percent canopy cover

66
00:03:10,733 --> 00:03:14,100
threshold, then temperatures 
tend to drop 10 degrees.

67
00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:17,866
And that's on a block by block 
scale. So it's very localized.

68
00:03:18,266 --> 00:03:19,733
OK, so we're really trying

69
00:03:19,733 --> 00:03:22,966
to bump it up to that 40 percent 
threshold in East Austin

70
00:03:22,966 --> 00:03:24,866
so that we can actually get 
all the ecosystem

71
00:03:24,866 --> 00:03:26,700
benefits that those people need.

72
00:03:26,700 --> 00:03:30,300
We're talking cooler 
temperatures, less noise, just

73
00:03:30,300 --> 00:03:33,266
more green space, better health 
outcomes, stuff like that.

74
00:03:33,500 --> 00:03:34,933
Let's just start 
with the basics.

75
00:03:34,933 --> 00:03:40,566
So when is the best time to 
plant a tree in central Texas?

76
00:03:40,666 --> 00:03:43,333
So we say it's October 
1st to March 31.

77
00:03:43,466 --> 00:03:45,800
That's what we call tree 
planting season.

78
00:03:46,466 --> 00:03:49,433
So Texas Arbor Day 
is going to be November 5th.

79
00:03:49,933 --> 00:03:52,433
And that's a great day 
to put a tree in the ground.

80
00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:56,533
So really, it's any time 
your tree starts to go dormant,

81
00:03:56,533 --> 00:03:58,933
that's when it needs to go 
in the ground. That's awesome.

82
00:03:59,300 --> 00:04:00,800
That gives it plenty of time

83
00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:03,333
to kind of establish roots 
throughout the winter

84
00:04:03,900 --> 00:04:07,233
and it'll flush with leaves in 
the spring and be super happy.

85
00:04:07,333 --> 00:04:10,633
Some trees like citrus 
and some stuff that's

86
00:04:10,633 --> 00:04:12,400
marginally in zone,

87
00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:13,700
that's going to be 
better if you wait

88
00:04:13,700 --> 00:04:16,733
until March or kind of late 
into the planting season

89
00:04:16,733 --> 00:04:19,833
just because it'll have to deal 
with less cold weather. OK.

90
00:04:20,100 --> 00:04:23,133
And I want to ask 
a specific question.

91
00:04:23,133 --> 00:04:25,333
And this might sound 
loaded, but I promise

92
00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:28,833
it's a real question 
because, you know,

93
00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:31,900
what's your favorite tree 
or what or maybe not

94
00:04:31,900 --> 00:04:33,333
what your favorite tree,

95
00:04:33,333 --> 00:04:36,966
but what are really 
some of those good performers

96
00:04:36,966 --> 00:04:39,333
for some of the shade, 
because there's a lot of tree

97
00:04:39,333 --> 00:04:40,666
and not all trees are the same.

98
00:04:40,666 --> 00:04:41,466
So where are the ones that

99
00:04:42,066 --> 00:04:45,833
you really feel are key players 
for the top three in Austin?

100
00:04:45,866 --> 00:04:47,600
The most common trees in

101
00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:50,900
Austin are going to be the ashe 
juniper, which everyone hates.

102
00:04:51,300 --> 00:04:53,100
I love them now.

103
00:04:53,100 --> 00:04:55,866
Cedar elm, which 
are completely indestructible.

104
00:04:55,966 --> 00:04:57,566
And the live oak.

105
00:04:57,566 --> 00:05:01,000
The live thing, we don't really 
super encourage people

106
00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:02,366
to plant a lot more live oaks

107
00:05:02,366 --> 00:05:05,066
just because oak wilt 
is kind of a problem and there'

108
00:05:05,100 --> 00:05:06,700
already a lot of labor,

109
00:05:06,700 --> 00:05:08,966
there's plenty of other oaks 
that you can plant.

110
00:05:09,733 --> 00:05:11,466
I'd really suggest 
Red Oaks, because

111
00:05:11,466 --> 00:05:13,066
we have a lot of those, too.

112
00:05:13,066 --> 00:05:17,133
But Chinquapin Farouk's, 
even the Mexican White Oaks

113
00:05:17,133 --> 00:05:18,666
do really well up here.

114
00:05:18,666 --> 00:05:22,000
The takeaway is that we want 
diversity, Riewoldt species

115
00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:25,000
diversity, because we have one 
one species or planning.

116
00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:26,533
If we have another snow

117
00:05:26,533 --> 00:05:28,566
pocalypse or some pathogen comes

118
00:05:28,566 --> 00:05:30,700
through and wipes out all those,

119
00:05:30,700 --> 00:05:33,266
or if we have that diversity, 
then it might only affect

120
00:05:33,300 --> 00:05:35,366
a small percentage 
of that population.

121
00:05:35,533 --> 00:05:37,366
Yeah. And actually, 
we have something like

122
00:05:37,366 --> 00:05:39,666
diversity benchmarks 
that we try to hit

123
00:05:39,666 --> 00:05:41,200
when we're doing 
planting projects.

124
00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:42,966
It's called 30 2010 rule.

125
00:05:42,966 --> 00:05:46,400
Actually, it's 30 percent 
from one family,

126
00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:49,900
20 percent from one genus 
and 10 percent from one species

127
00:05:49,900 --> 00:05:51,800
You can't go over those numbers.

128
00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:54,633
So if you're hitting that, 
that's the right diversity

129
00:05:54,633 --> 00:05:55,633
that we're looking for.

130
00:05:55,633 --> 00:05:56,900
It's really hard to do

131
00:05:56,900 --> 00:05:59,433
in Texas, though, 
because our forests are

132
00:05:59,933 --> 00:06:02,800
we have way more oaks 
than most people have.

133
00:06:02,833 --> 00:06:05,300
We just have mostly 
oaks in our forests.

134
00:06:05,333 --> 00:06:08,133
So we really have 
heightened diversity

135
00:06:08,133 --> 00:06:10,300
in our planting projects 
more than we would

136
00:06:10,300 --> 00:06:13,066
ideally like to do. 
But we're working on.

137
00:06:13,366 --> 00:06:16,066
There's also the 
understory tree.

138
00:06:16,066 --> 00:06:17,166
So those are canopy.

139
00:06:17,166 --> 00:06:18,966
But you can team 
those up with me.

140
00:06:18,966 --> 00:06:21,800
You know, maybe some of those 
we tend to think big,

141
00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:23,500
but we need to think 
in layers. Right.

142
00:06:23,500 --> 00:06:24,666
So maybe the red buds

143
00:06:24,666 --> 00:06:27,033
or Mexican plum or 
some other guys that we can

144
00:06:27,366 --> 00:06:30,266
stack in there and give you 
maybe even some more density.

145
00:06:30,566 --> 00:06:32,400
Yeah, we talk about 
shade all the time,

146
00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:33,900
but really those canopy layers

147
00:06:33,900 --> 00:06:37,900
that come under the top canopy 
is they're so important.

148
00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:41,066
The more layers you have, 
the more productive

149
00:06:41,066 --> 00:06:42,366
your forest tends to be

150
00:06:42,366 --> 00:06:44,800
and the more benefits 
you get from that forest.

151
00:06:44,833 --> 00:06:47,133
So things are blooming 
at different times,

152
00:06:47,133 --> 00:06:51,233
are bringing in different kinds 
of wildlife trees cool by

153
00:06:52,733 --> 00:06:55,500
kind of transpiring 
water out of the leaves,

154
00:06:55,500 --> 00:06:57,566
so it actually cools 
the air around it.

155
00:06:57,833 --> 00:07:00,733
And the more layers, the leaves 
you have before the ground,

156
00:07:00,733 --> 00:07:02,833
that's more cooling 
that comes down.

157
00:07:02,833 --> 00:07:05,666
If somebody lives in 
a smaller space,

158
00:07:05,666 --> 00:07:08,900
has a smaller yard or something.

159
00:07:08,900 --> 00:07:12,466
What would you suggest for 
some trees for those folks?

160
00:07:12,566 --> 00:07:14,033
We have tons of small

161
00:07:14,033 --> 00:07:17,666
trees, actually, 
because Texas, it's so dry here

162
00:07:17,766 --> 00:07:19,500
There's a lot of 
little tiny trees

163
00:07:19,500 --> 00:07:20,700
we actually get made fun of

164
00:07:20,900 --> 00:07:23,866
at forestry conferences for that 
all the time. There's bushes.

165
00:07:24,666 --> 00:07:28,666
So I love some of these 
really tried and true trees.

166
00:07:29,100 --> 00:07:30,400
So like red buds,

167
00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:34,500
I really like the Texas 
and Mexican red buds .

168
00:07:34,500 --> 00:07:36,800
The eastern redbud doesn't 
really do that well here.

169
00:07:36,900 --> 00:07:38,666
And then we also have some stuff

170
00:07:38,666 --> 00:07:42,133
like the Texas mountain laurel, 
fantastic for small areas.

171
00:07:42,133 --> 00:07:44,066
They grow really, really slowly. 
So it makes them better.

172
00:07:44,133 --> 00:07:46,966
But there are some oddballs, 
too, which I really like.

173
00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:50,500
So if you want to increase the 
diversity, I'd suggest planting

174
00:07:50,500 --> 00:07:54,533
an oddball Anacacho orchid 
trees are really, really cool.

175
00:07:54,533 --> 00:07:56,933
They bloom beautiful like 
an orchid. It's really pretty.

176
00:07:57,766 --> 00:07:58,933
There's rusty blackhaw

177
00:07:59,900 --> 00:08:02,966
which is a really interesting 
treat, has super shiny leaves

178
00:08:02,966 --> 00:08:04,600
and like tortoiseshell bark

179
00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:07,333
and it has little black berries 
that taste like black currants.

180
00:08:07,333 --> 00:08:09,133
So it's a food plant. I'm

181
00:08:09,133 --> 00:08:12,800
going to throw out my own that 
I'm a little biased towards.

182
00:08:12,933 --> 00:08:14,533
Also the Blanco crabapple.

183
00:08:14,533 --> 00:08:16,366
I think it's a beautiful tree 
and it's something

184
00:08:16,366 --> 00:08:18,733
that's endangered 
because of overgrazing.

185
00:08:18,733 --> 00:08:21,000
So if you can get one, that's a 
that's a super duper.

186
00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:22,633
They are hard to find, though.

187
00:08:22,633 --> 00:08:25,966
So if you can finally tell 
everyone, you know, well,

188
00:08:26,033 --> 00:08:29,333
plant nerd's plant nerds 
start searching.

189
00:08:30,100 --> 00:08:31,866
Well, let's talk about

190
00:08:31,866 --> 00:08:35,466
the absolute sort of basic 
planning tips and tricks.

191
00:08:35,466 --> 00:08:36,666
If you if if somebody

192
00:08:36,666 --> 00:08:37,466
I don't know anything

193
00:08:37,466 --> 00:08:39,666
about tree, but I've listened

194
00:08:39,666 --> 00:08:43,100
to you and bite on it, 
I'm going to plant a tree.

195
00:08:43,133 --> 00:08:44,933
All right. What do we do?

196
00:08:44,933 --> 00:08:47,500
All right. So there's definitely 
a bunch of stuff

197
00:08:47,500 --> 00:08:49,633
that you should do 
to maximize your success

198
00:08:49,633 --> 00:08:52,300
and then some stuff 
that you just have to do. Right

199
00:08:52,466 --> 00:08:54,866
The first thing to do to kind of 
maximize your success.

200
00:08:54,900 --> 00:08:57,333
Water the tree before 
you even start the project.

201
00:08:57,466 --> 00:08:59,100
So it's in the pot. It's 
sitting right there.

202
00:08:59,100 --> 00:09:00,266
You haven't dug a hole yet.

203
00:09:00,266 --> 00:09:02,166
Just water it. It's 
going to be really it's

204
00:09:02,166 --> 00:09:04,700
going to loosen the root of 
the tree is going to be happier

205
00:09:04,700 --> 00:09:06,000
And the roots are going 
to be more supple,

206
00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:08,133
it's going to be much 
happier that way.

207
00:09:08,766 --> 00:09:11,500
So then it's time 
to dig your hole and you have

208
00:09:11,500 --> 00:09:15,100
to dig the hole twice 
as wide as the pot is.

209
00:09:15,100 --> 00:09:17,333
That's really important, 
because back filling

210
00:09:17,333 --> 00:09:18,866
the hole is an important thing.

211
00:09:18,866 --> 00:09:19,900
You have to loosen that dirt

212
00:09:19,900 --> 00:09:21,966
so the roots can 
kind of spread out.

213
00:09:21,966 --> 00:09:25,733
But a lot of people dig the hole 
as deep as the pot, and that's

214
00:09:25,733 --> 00:09:27,600
usually a huge problem.

215
00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:30,166
So one of the biggest problems 
in urban tree planting

216
00:09:30,166 --> 00:09:31,900
is that they are too deep.

217
00:09:31,900 --> 00:09:35,233
So trees in their pots are often 
two to five inches

218
00:09:35,233 --> 00:09:36,800
too deep already.

219
00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:39,666
And that's the kind of prevent 
weeds from growing in the pot.

220
00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:42,033
So when you get that 
tree out of the pot,

221
00:09:42,033 --> 00:09:44,833
get all the dirt off 
so you can find the first root.

222
00:09:44,833 --> 00:09:47,100
And that's how much dirt 
should be on top of that tree.

223
00:09:47,733 --> 00:09:50,433
And then you need to kind of 
tease the roots out really well

224
00:09:50,933 --> 00:09:52,566
And they can take 
a lot of beating.

225
00:09:52,566 --> 00:09:54,333
So kind of comb the roots out,

226
00:09:54,333 --> 00:09:55,700
make sure you can 
spread them out.

227
00:09:55,700 --> 00:09:59,433
In the hole and then make sure 
that tree is on the right level

228
00:09:59,466 --> 00:10:01,800
so I like to put a shovel 
across the hole.

229
00:10:02,300 --> 00:10:05,366
So you have like a bar 
and so you want that root

230
00:10:05,366 --> 00:10:08,600
flare to be an inch 
or two inches above the shovel.

231
00:10:09,133 --> 00:10:11,933
So it should be the root 
flare should be above the soil.

232
00:10:12,366 --> 00:10:15,766
And so backfill and 
then mulch on top of that.

233
00:10:15,766 --> 00:10:16,933
So then the mulch should

234
00:10:17,166 --> 00:10:20,500
level it so that you then have 
root flare level with the soil.

235
00:10:20,733 --> 00:10:21,866
But you don't want

236
00:10:21,866 --> 00:10:23,366
mulch all the way up

237
00:10:23,366 --> 00:10:26,633
flush against the base 
of the trunk right here.

238
00:10:26,833 --> 00:10:27,833
So you want your mulch

239
00:10:28,033 --> 00:10:31,566
to be like two to four inches 
away from the mulch,

240
00:10:31,566 --> 00:10:33,266
should never touch your tree.

241
00:10:33,266 --> 00:10:35,633
It should only touch dirt.

242
00:10:35,633 --> 00:10:37,733
No mulch kanoes people.

243
00:10:37,866 --> 00:10:39,100
No mulch kanoes.

244
00:10:39,100 --> 00:10:41,833
A lot of people, 
when they plant trees,

245
00:10:41,833 --> 00:10:43,500
they say, you know what, 
I'm going to buy

246
00:10:43,500 --> 00:10:46,100
that big old honking tree 
that's been in a

247
00:10:46,100 --> 00:10:49,400
pot for 15 years 
because it's an instant tree.

248
00:10:49,933 --> 00:10:51,633
Is that really a 
great thing to do?

249
00:10:51,633 --> 00:10:53,733
Or if you plant a younger tree,

250
00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:56,233
that is probably going 
to catch up with that tree,

251
00:10:56,233 --> 00:10:59,533
that big tree and surpass it 
and that same time?

252
00:10:59,633 --> 00:11:01,100
It's really counterintuitive.

253
00:11:01,100 --> 00:11:02,333
You're completely correct.

254
00:11:02,333 --> 00:11:04,000
The sapling is going to overtake

255
00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:06,066
the five gallon tree every time.

256
00:11:07,233 --> 00:11:08,166
It's because when

257
00:11:08,500 --> 00:11:11,800
trees grow, they're not used 
to really changing spots.

258
00:11:12,166 --> 00:11:14,566
So their roots are 
adapted to that soil.

259
00:11:14,833 --> 00:11:16,566
As soon as you change 
spots for the tree,

260
00:11:16,566 --> 00:11:19,466
it has to grow new roots 
that are adapted to new soil.

261
00:11:19,466 --> 00:11:21,366
So all those old 
roots, they're just

262
00:11:21,366 --> 00:11:22,600
they don't really work well.

263
00:11:22,600 --> 00:11:24,466
So the little baby tree,

264
00:11:24,466 --> 00:11:26,733
it doesn't really have 
to replace a lot of roots.

265
00:11:26,733 --> 00:11:29,900
It only has like five. It's 
the one that's replaced 50.

266
00:11:29,900 --> 00:11:31,633
That's not going 
to do that. Well,

267
00:11:31,633 --> 00:11:33,833
I didn't believe this at all.

268
00:11:33,833 --> 00:11:35,066
When I started at Tree Folks,

269
00:11:35,066 --> 00:11:36,666
I was like, that 
is that's not true.

270
00:11:36,666 --> 00:11:38,333
There's no way that's 
going to happen.

271
00:11:38,333 --> 00:11:41,166
I got a few saplings. 
I got a few five gallon trees.

272
00:11:41,166 --> 00:11:43,966
I planted them. It's 
three years later now.

273
00:11:43,966 --> 00:11:47,166
The saplings are eight 
to nine feet tall.

274
00:11:47,733 --> 00:11:50,866
The five gallon trees 
have barely grown.

275
00:11:51,300 --> 00:11:53,733
Oh, wow. They've grown.

276
00:11:53,900 --> 00:11:57,300
That's definitely true. It's 
not nine feet tall.

277
00:11:57,333 --> 00:12:00,300
Not only are you providing 
all this information for free.

278
00:12:00,833 --> 00:12:05,466
Where can people go to 
get a free tree from tree folks

279
00:12:05,733 --> 00:12:07,966
And who qualifies 
for the free trees?

280
00:12:07,966 --> 00:12:08,833
It's really easy.

281
00:12:09,166 --> 00:12:12,133
So any Austin resident 
or Austin energy customer

282
00:12:12,133 --> 00:12:15,633
qualifies for a free five gallon 
tree from TreeFolks. Yeah.

283
00:12:15,966 --> 00:12:18,333
So just go to our website.

284
00:12:18,333 --> 00:12:20,800
You can go to www.treefolks.org

285
00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:26,200
slash nw. And that takes you to 
our Neighborwoods program page.

286
00:12:26,333 --> 00:12:28,700
And that's where you're going 
to sign up to get a free tree.

287
00:12:29,333 --> 00:12:31,266
And there's a tree menu

288
00:12:31,266 --> 00:12:32,900
and that'll help 
you make your decisions.

289
00:12:32,900 --> 00:12:34,733
It's a really great site.

290
00:12:34,733 --> 00:12:37,433
There's also options 
for reforestation.

291
00:12:37,433 --> 00:12:39,500
And you can also find that 
through our website.

292
00:12:39,733 --> 00:12:43,566
You know, people are only going 
to protect what they know

293
00:12:43,733 --> 00:12:45,033
and love what they know.

294
00:12:45,133 --> 00:12:48,800
So education always fundamental 
and conservation, preservation

295
00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:50,300
and restoration.

296
00:12:50,300 --> 00:12:52,600
I've interacted with ya'lls 
organization a number of times.

297
00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:53,700
You have not only

298
00:12:53,900 --> 00:12:56,333
had a presence in Austin, 
but large scale restoration.

299
00:12:56,333 --> 00:13:01,833
You worked post the 2011 
drought, wildfires and the 2015

300
00:13:02,133 --> 00:13:04,500
Blanco River flood.

301
00:13:04,900 --> 00:13:10,266
Following the the 2011 wildfires 
in Bastrop, TreeFolks was

302
00:13:10,466 --> 00:13:13,733
with TAPS to help lead 
the reforestation effort there,

303
00:13:14,066 --> 00:13:17,566
in part because we had a good 
background, a good knowledge of

304
00:13:17,866 --> 00:13:20,533
the technical tree 
planting side of things, but

305
00:13:20,666 --> 00:13:24,533
also because we had the ability 
to to mobilize community

306
00:13:24,533 --> 00:13:27,966
and to connect with residents 
in that healing process.

307
00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:31,600
Our successes there in Bastrop, 
which are still ongoing,

308
00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:34,800
by the way, we're still 
distributing trees in Bastrop,

309
00:13:35,466 --> 00:13:39,800
but that also brought us 
into the the restoration,

310
00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:42,466
the reforestation 
along the Blanco River

311
00:13:42,466 --> 00:13:46,600
after that 2015 flood, again, 
because of the tree planting

312
00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:47,966
expertise, getting folks

313
00:13:47,966 --> 00:13:51,266
involved in the tree, 
planting the healing process,

314
00:13:51,866 --> 00:13:54,900
and also the the landowner 
education component

315
00:13:54,900 --> 00:13:57,200
that was really key, 
really creating those

316
00:13:57,200 --> 00:13:58,633
long term stewards.

317
00:13:58,633 --> 00:14:02,733
But big reforestation 
work is what has launched

318
00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:06,633
our current large scale 
reforestation, where

319
00:14:06,633 --> 00:14:08,066
we're working in a six county

320
00:14:08,066 --> 00:14:12,300
region to how to plant trees 
along riparian areas.

321
00:14:12,300 --> 00:14:14,100
It's in flood plains,

322
00:14:14,100 --> 00:14:16,733
really trying to get out 
ahead of the next disaster

323
00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:20,566
and also to generate 
carbon credits that

324
00:14:20,566 --> 00:14:22,633
we trade with the city 
and other partners.

325
00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:24,366
If people are interested

326
00:14:24,366 --> 00:14:27,600
in doing some of this 
wonderful work that you all do,

327
00:14:28,433 --> 00:14:31,566
how in the world can 
they get involved this fall?

328
00:14:31,633 --> 00:14:35,300
You know, it's TreeFolks for a r 
The trees are important, the fo

329
00:14:35,300 --> 00:14:38,566
So maybe we have 
volunteer opportunities

330
00:14:38,566 --> 00:14:41,366
that folks can find online 
at people stored.

331
00:14:41,666 --> 00:14:45,400
So we love having families out, 
Scout groups, service

332
00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:48,633
organizations, school groups, 
corporate partners, whoever

333
00:14:49,233 --> 00:14:50,866
can come plant a tree.

334
00:14:50,866 --> 00:14:55,100
Obviously, there's opportunity 
to donate and support tree.

335
00:14:55,500 --> 00:14:57,633
Work in that way as well. Sure.

336
00:14:57,966 --> 00:15:00,166
And we're always 
looking for more tree

337
00:15:00,166 --> 00:15:00,633
stewards folks to learn 
more about trees

338
00:15:01,366 --> 00:15:02,500
stewards folks to learn 
more about trees

339
00:15:02,500 --> 00:15:04,333
and just take care 
of the ones they see

340
00:15:04,333 --> 00:15:06,200
in their neighborhood. Great.

341
00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:08,800
Have you ever thought about 
hiring an army of squirrels?

342
00:15:08,800 --> 00:15:10,900
Because I know that 
I have more trees

343
00:15:10,900 --> 00:15:11,733
a pop up my yard

344
00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:14,400
'cause of squirrels, just 
just throwing that out there.

345
00:15:15,166 --> 00:15:16,966
You know, we hadn't 
really thought about it,

346
00:15:16,966 --> 00:15:19,200
but you're right, 
they could definitely help

347
00:15:20,333 --> 00:15:23,366
help extend our pecan orchards.

348
00:15:23,366 --> 00:15:24,600
Thank you so much, Andrew.

349
00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:27,300
And Collin has been super duper 
talking to you all.

350
00:15:27,300 --> 00:15:29,300
Really love your organization

351
00:15:29,300 --> 00:15:31,866
and all the great 
work you're doing.

352
00:15:31,866 --> 00:15:34,833
And I just want to thank you 
again for all the viewers,

353
00:15:34,833 --> 00:15:36,766
because y'all are just a whole

354
00:15:36,766 --> 00:15:38,866
whole heap bunch 
full of information.

355
00:15:39,400 --> 00:15:42,066
Keep out there, plant trees, 
and we'll see you in the wild.