Tree Equity in the Big Bend
Planting trees at the Alpine Retirement Homes with Sul Ross student volunteers, Will Juett of Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Adelina Beall at City of Alpine Environmental Services.
Trees make for a healthier environment—one that absorbs pollution and lowers temperatures. Tree Equity in the Big Bend takes the concept of Tree Equity—an area having enough trees so that everyone can experience the health, climate and economic benefits—and applies it to the rural towns of Far West Texas.
Planting trees at the Marfa Housing Authority in partnership with St. Paul’s Episcopal Church made possible by an Episcopal Church Creation Care grant.
The Tree Equity Score is an online tool developed by American Forests, a conservation organization, which defines a neighborhood’s score showing how much tree canopy and surface temperature align with income, employment, race, age and health factors in the United States. The tool is only available for urbanized areas, but the same concept can be applied to rural areas just by looking at Google satellite images, which show there is often very little tree canopy in formerly segregated areas of the region’s towns.
Google satellite images show the contrast in tree canopy between Marfa’s formerly segregated south side (left) and the north side (right) where wealthier residents resided.
The project uses the lens of environmental justice to distribute trees to areas of Big Bend’s towns where very little tree coverage exists today.
Planting trees for residents in Marfa.
The 2021 program worked with project partners Blackwell School Alliance, City of Marfa Parks and Recreation, City of Presidio, Marfa Food Pantry, Mobile Comunidad, and Project Homeleaf to plant trees for food pantry clients in Marfa; provide trees to residents of Chihuahuita in Fort Davis; add more tree canopy to Blackwell Park in Marfa; and plant trees throughout Presidio.
Planting trees at the Alpine Retirement Homes with Sul Ross student volunteers.
The 2022 program partners with Alpine Food Pantry, Big Bend Community Action Committee, City of Alpine, City of Presidio, Food Pantry of Jeff Davis County, Presidio Municipal Development District, Project Homeleaf, and Sul Ross State University to plant trees for food pantry clients and those living in subsidized housing.
Press
Big Bend Sentinel, “Presidio youth spearhead project to plant 25 trees in town” by Sam Karas. November 23, 2021
Big Bend Sentinel, "Climate equity, beautification efforts to plant trees in lower socioeconomic areas of the Big Bend expand in second year" by Mary Cantrell and Sam Karas. November 10, 2022
Sponsors
Native tree species are generously donated by Apache Corporation. Since 2005, Apache has donated more than 4.8 million trees through grants to over 900 non-profit partners and government agencies in the United States. Tree planting and bilingual education materials for ongoing tree care are made possible through the generosity of Erik Bryn. Additional assistance and support provided by West Texas Roots, Cactus Liquors,, Jim Martinez, and Jim Fissel.
The planting at the Marfa Housing Authority was made possible by an Episcopal Church Creation Care grant. Overseen by the church’s Task Force on Creation Care and Environmental Racism, Creation Care grants seek to support eco-ministry projects that address climate change, environmental degradation, and the inequitable and systemic impacts of environmental racism.