A local group in Kingwood is planting trees in hopes of helping the planned community live up to its reputation as a “livable forest.”
How it all began
Trees for Kingwood was founded in November 2022 by a group of residents who noticed that the trees in their neighborhood were being impacted by invasive species, such as air potato vines, as well as ongoing construction.
“When builders and developers come into the country, they change the face of the areas where they build homes,” said board member Joyce Chambers. “We want to make sure that the trees that are here survive – to preserve the forest that we want.”
The organization is part of the Kingwood Service Association and all board members and directors are volunteers. The organization is funded by donations from the Apache Corp., the Rotary Club of Kingwood and the Kingwood Garden Club. Chambers noted that the organization works closely with Trees For Houston and has also applied for several grants from various companies to continue planting trees in the community.
Chambers said the program aims to help the community become more environmentally friendly, for both current and future Kingwood residents.
“We want to promote Kingwood as a great place to live and a great place to do business,” Chambers said. “If we don’t take care of what we have, (Kingwood) won’t be very (environmentally friendly) to others.”
How it works
Since 2022, Trees for Kingwood has planted nearly 2,000 trees, and in 2023 the group’s goal was to plant 1,000 trees.
While Hurricane Beryl damaged about 50% of the trees in the greater Houston area through widespread wind damage, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service, most of the trees affected by Beryl were older, according to Chambers. She added that the newer trees recently planted by Trees for Kingwood were unaffected by the hurricane.
Chambers noted that the organization is also working with the Texas A&M Forest Service, the U.S. Forest Service and the University of Florida to eradicate the air potato vines.
A look into the future
The organization launched a new initiative called Students for Kingwood in 2023. The program is designed to teach students the importance of tree planting and environmental protection, Chambers said.
In 2023, Trees for Kingwood provided 240 saplings to Bear Branch Elementary and has since expanded the program to other campuses throughout Humble ISD. Chambers noted that Trees for Kingwood will continue the program this fall.
“We have a good connection with the teachers in the school district and the Science Olympiad is an event they promote. We thought this would be an asset to their curriculum and would teach students how to improve their environment for their future,” Chambers said.
