Pflugerville forestry program delivers 430 neighborhood trees

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Pflugerville forestry program delivers 430 neighborhood trees

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By Community Impact Newspaper Staff Thursday, 12 November 2009

PFLUGERVILLE — The City of Pflugerville kicked off its NeighborWoods program Nov. 3-5 by delivering 430 trees for planting along neighborhood streets. The city’s Tree Care Advisory Board, forestry department and Austin-based nonprofit Treefolks partnered with residents and volunteers to deliver the five-gallon trees—species ranging from live oak, chinquapin oak, lacey oak and cedar elm—to 254 homes in the Bohls and Mountain Creek neighborhoods.

The goal of NeighborWoods is to distribute street trees to diversify the age and species of the Pflugerville’s urban forest, helping protect it against harmful insects, disease or the loss of an entire species due to short lifespan. The trees will also help improve air quality, decrease the quantity and speed of storm water and provide shaded streets.

Funded by TreeFolks at a cost of approximately $5,000, the project required 95 hours of volunteer labor and 120 hours of staff time to implement.

The city plans to implement the program every September. Trained volunteers and staff will evaluate 800 homes annually for the program—reviewing criteria including minimum distances from sidewalks, driveways, streets, utilities, other trees, street signs, intersections and storm sewers. If a yard has sufficient space for a new tree, the homeowner will be notified they are eligible to receive one or more trees from the City of Pflugerville for their front yard. In return for the free tree, the homeowner is asked to send a reply card to the City of Pflugerville agreeing to plant the tree in a location indicated, usually within 12 feet from the street, and water the tree for the next two years to help it become established.

NeighborWoods will offer trees to residents in the Heatherwilde subdivision in September 2010. To learn more about the program, call City Arborist April Rose at 990-6328 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .