SAN ANTONIO — Studies quoted by local non-profit Bexar Branches Alliance point to local population growth that has nearly doubled over the course of twenty years, along with a loss of tree canopy at about 20 percent.
To combat the health impacts of the loss, the all-volunteer organization is hoping education and action will help.
Saturday, the group will be hosting a free Tree Trek event in Martin Luther King Park starting at 8:30 a.m.
Board member David Vaughan will help lead the expedition in the 168-acre oasis that hugs Salado Creek in east San Antonio.
"Martin Luther King has some very unique species so we may teach them about some of the edible properties of the trees and the plants, and we're just going to walk and talk trees and talk plants and talk identification, basically teach them what a fantastic park that Martin Luther King is," Vaughan said.
An arborist with decades of experience, Vaughan said he is involved with the organization because trees provide so many benefits to the community.
"Nothing in Texas is more important than shade and the cooling effect of a tree, the oxygen that's produced by the tree. The water retention. The flood control that we gain from the trees. All those things are benefits to the community," Vaughan said.
Vaughan, who said he grew up on a farm, also understands the ancient wisdom of having a renewable food source at hand.
"I grew up on a farm and we had fruit trees all the time and we harvested from the native trees that were out in the woods, so that used to be a common thing," Vaughan said, adding he believes the old ways still have value.
"We're getting away from the agri-chemicals and finding that the old ways of doing things are pretty sound," Vaughan said.
Beyond tours of local parks around town, the group also recruits people of all ages to take part in tree planting and maintenance projects.
"We've had up to World War II veterans that are in their 90s come out to help us and we've had kids as young as fourth and fifth graders at the elementary schools," Vaughan said.
Vaughan said everyone is welcome to join the effort.
"Anybody can come. We're looking for volunteers all the time and we always have a great time," said Vaughn.
More information about Saturday's Tree Trail Trek can be found here.
To participate in a fundraiser for the group at Arboretum San Antonio, click here.
To participate in cleanups in our tree-filled natural creek way public spaces, click here.
The city is planning $1 million in improvements to King Park. There's a public input meeting coming up April 10.