The way forward is more trees
TreeFolks loves to provide trees for everyone in Austin and your stories truly inspire us to keep going. That is why we are starting our They Grow Up So Fast series!
Austinite George McCormack got his Cedar Elm at a TreeFolks NeighborWoods event about seven years ago. He recently checked in with us to show us how his sapling is growing up and beginning to shade his yard, attracting birds and pollinators.
George told us, “It’s been really nice to watch it grow. It’s kind of like a child: you plant it yourself, you look after it, you check in on it, and make sure it’s doing okay. It’s been really rewarding. The way forward is more trees.”
2016
Guy Swenson received his Monterey Oak back in 2012. He recalls it was not much more than a twig at that time. However, the small twig grew fast! Guy initially named the tree after him but later decided it was too boastful.
Guy is retired, taking care of his three dogs and his garden. He particularly loves flowers. Guy also volunteers as a vice-chair of a non-profit organization. He thinks if this tree were a song, it would be “Embraceable You,” a jazz standard song with music by George Gershwin and lyrics by Ira Gershwin.
2020
This tree, also known as a Mexican White Oak, has gone through a lot. During the 2021 storm its bark split! Guy has wrapped it every winter, and it has almost completely healed.
2022
Guy’s final words: The best advice I can give for someone who wants to adopt a tree is to be mindful of the tree’s probable full-size proximity to buildings, power lines, the sidewalk, and other vegetation, remembering that the spread that is occurring above ground is also happening underground. Read about the correct ways and time of year for pruning if it is necessary to raise the canopy of your tree.
Did you adopt a tree from us? Send us your pics and we will feature it in a future newsletter!
Author
Héctor González, our Communications & Media Coordinator wrote this article. Héctor loves to bike everywhere they can: for groceries, to events, and just for fun. You can spot them by the sun-kissed bike helmet that looks like a watermelon.
