[Press Conference: "Trees For Houston Reaches One Million Trees" on February 5, 2026.]
[00:00:18]
MY NAME IS MR. MCKINNEY WITH MR. MCKINNEY'S, HISTORIC HOUSTON.
I'VE GOT THE PLEASURE OF SERVING ON THE BOARD HERE AT THE HERITAGE SOCIETY AT SAM HOUSTON PARK.
I WANNA WELCOME YOU ALL TO SAM HOUSTON PARK.
UM, WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO PARTNER UP WITH TREES FOR HOUSTON ON BEHALF OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ALLISON BELL, OUR IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT MANEL MINETTE BOSO WITH, UH, WITH THE PRESERVATION COMMUNITY HERE IN HOUSTON, AND ALSO WORKING UNDER THREE DIFFERENT MAYORS FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND MARTHA WHITING GODDARD, WHO'S ALSO ON OUR BOARD, A FORMER EDUCATOR.
WE WANNA WELCOME Y'ALL HERE, UM, FOR THE, FOR THE 1 MILLION PLANTING OF THE TREES FOR HOUSTON SITE.
NOW THIS IS IMPORTANT TO US AND WE CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER LOCATION TO HAVE THIS TREE PLANTING THEN HERE AT SAM HOUSTON PARK, 127 YEARS STRONG.
HOUSTON'S OLDEST AND FIRST MUNICIPAL PARK FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, 1899.
YOU KNOW, ON JULY 3RD, 1954, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF A THEN YOUNG MAYOR ROY HOFFE, AND CELEBRATED M DAY JULY 3RD, 1954, WHERE THEY MARKED THE ARRIVAL OF THE 1000000TH RESIDENT FOR THE METROPOLITAN AREA OF HOUSTON.
WELL, ALSO IN 1954, THE HERITAGE SOCIETY AT CM HOUSTON PARK WAS FOUNDED BY NOTABLE HOUSTONIANS LIKE I'M A HOG BIRCHVILLE, P BRISCOE, KENNETH FRANZ, FAITH BIBE, AND CC PAT FLEMING, WHO SERVED AS THE FIRST CITY OF HOUSTON'S PARK DIRECTOR AND RECREATION DIRECTOR, COMBINED IN 1943 IN ORDER TO PRESERVE THAT HOUSE BEHIND Y'ALL, THE WHITE HOUSE BEHIND Y'ALL IS THE OLDEST HOME IN HOUSTON ON ITS ORIGINAL SITE, THE 1847 KLUM NOBLE HOUSE, WHICH IS OPEN TODAY FOR FREE TOURS, COURTESY OF THE HARE SOCIETY HERE AT SAM HOUSTON PARK.
SO PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU TAKE HOME MOMENTS TO WALK INSIDE THAT BEAUTIFUL HOME AND LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORY OF HOUSTON IN A REALLY SPECIAL WAY.
THAT HOUSE ALSO IS SERVED AS AN OLD SCHOOLHOUSE FOR THE FOURTH WARD.
YOU'RE IN THE FOURTH WARD AREA, AN ORIGINAL PARKS DEPARTMENT, CITY OF HOUSTON PARK OFFICE BACK IN 1910, AND THE ORIGINAL HOME OF THE HOUSTON ZOO BACK IN 1903.
SO THE HOUSE HAS A LOT OF HISTORY WAY BEFORE THEIR 1922 MOVE TO HERMAN PARK, RIGHT, UH, WHEN A BUFFALO CALLED EARL, THE BISON WAS LEFT BY A TRAVELING CIRCUS.
HOUSTONIANS ADOPTED THE BUFFALO, AND THAT WAS THE START OF OUR HOUSTON ZOO BACK IN 1903.
WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT BUILDING.
WE'RE ALSO PROUD THE BUILDING SERVES AS ONE OF THREE OF OUR HISTORICAL HOUSES HERE THAT ARE ON THE UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE FOR SITES OF MEMORY.
THE OTHER HOME INCLUDES THE, UH, FOURTH WARD COTTAGE OVER IN, IN THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE PARK.
THE 1870 JACK YATES HOUSE IS ALSO PART OF THIS.
UH, WE HAVE WITH US AGAIN, MARTHA WHITING DAUGHTER, WHO'S THE GREAT GRANDDAUGHTER OF REVEREND JACK YATES, WHO GREW UP IN THAT HOME AND OFFERS TOURS.
SO ESPECIALLY AS WE EMBARK ON BLACK HISTORY MONTH, WE THINK ABOUT THE LEGACY OF REVEREND JACK YATES SIMPLY PUT AND OFTEN FORGOTTEN FOR OVER 72 YEARS.
THE HAIR SOCIETY HERE AT SAM HOUSTON PARK SERVES AS THE MUSEUM AND THE CENTER FOR HOUSTON'S HISTORY.
UH, TO MAKE SURE WE EDUCATE HOUSTON'S PAST AND THE FUTURE AS WELL.
WE INVITE EVERYONE TO DISCOVER OR REDISCOVER THE HAIR SOCIETY FOR OUR DAILY TOURS THAT WE OFFER INSIDE THESE HISTORIC STRUCTURES WITH INFORMATION@HERITAGESOCIETY.ORG.
AND WE INVITE MAYOR WHITMEYER AND EVERYONE TO SAVE THE DATE.
UH, HOUSTON WAS FOUNDED AUGUST 30TH, 1836, AND WE'RE CELEBRATING THE HUNDRED AND 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON HERE AT THE HERITAGE SOCIETY ON AUGUST 29TH, 2026.
AND IT'S A FREE EVENT ALL INVITED, SO COME ON DOWN AND JOIN US FOR THAT.
OKAY, THANK YOU AGAIN, TRIC FOR HOUSTON FOR MAKING, UH, HOUSTON EVEN GREENER SINCE 1983.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATIONS DEPARTMENTS DIRECTOR KENNETH ALLEN UNDER LEADERSHIP OF MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER CHEVRON, WHO MANY OF THEIR TEAM LEADERS HAVE BEEN ACTUALLY ON BOARD.
THE HOUSTON INDUSTRY BUS THAT I HAVE HERE.
AND OF COURSE TO ALL OF Y'ALL FOR, UM, FOR REALLY BEING HERE AND, AND CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THE MISSION OF TREES FOR HOUSTON.
UM, NOW I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE A GENTLEMAN THAT HAS GUIDED TREES FOR HOUSTON FOR NEARLY TWO DECADES AND LOVES TREES AND HISTORY, UH, VERY WELL.
IN FACT, I'M NOT KIDDING, BECAUSE HE SERVED AS THE FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE BATTLESHIP TEXAS FOUNDATION.
HE ALSO, NOT ONLY IS HE A CERTIFIED ARBORIST, HE'S ALSO GOT A DEGREE IN HOUSTON IN HISTORY AND IN LATIN.
HIS WIFE BONNIE, IS A DESCENDANT OF SAM HOUSTON.
UH, AND HE ACTUALLY SPENT THREE MONTHS WORKING HERE AT THE HERITAGE SOCIETY, WHICH MIGHT BE OUR SHORTEST STINT.
UH, I'LL LET HIM EXPLAIN THAT.
UH, AND HE ALSO, I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF HAVING ON RADIO SHOW THE HOUSTON HOUR OF MR. MCKINNA, HEIDI VAUGHN.
HE'S BEEN A GUEST ON MY LIVE TV SHOW AS WELL.
SO MY FRIEND AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BARRY WARD, WELCOME HIM.
YEAH, MY FIRST PAID JOB IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AFTER GRADUATE SCHOOL WAS AT THE HERITAGE SOCIETY HERE.
SO, UM, I APPRECIATE THE HERITAGE SOCIETY FOR HAVING US TODAY, AND
[00:05:01]
I APPRECIATE FOR ALL YOU DO FOR OUR CULTURAL PATRIMONY AND OUR HISTORIC PATRIMONY, WHAT I HOPE PEOPLE PERCEIVE TREES FOR HOUSTON, FOR DOING FOR OUR GREEN PATRIMONY, UM, AND THE PRESERVATION AND AWARENESS THAT THAT IS REQUIRED.I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK, UH, OF COURSE ALL THERE.
WE HAVE A BUNCH OF KIND OF CORPORATE AND PHILANTHROPIC, UH, SPONSORS IN THE ROOM.
THANK YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.
AND OF COURSE, THANKS TO OUR LEAD, CHEVRON, UH, OUR LEAD SPONSOR, TODAY'S CHEVRON FOR ALL YOU DO FOR US.
AND I, I ALSO MENTIONED THAT WITH CHEVRON, WE HAVE WELL OVER TWO DECADES OF HISTORY IN TREE GROWING, PLANTING AND DISTRIBUTION WITH CHEVRON.
SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR OUR, FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THEN OF COURSE, UM, WE HAVE A PASS OF ELECTED OFFICIALS HERE.
UM, I SEE COUNCIL MEMBER ALCO, THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY, MAYOR.
UM, ROD COM COMMISSIONER ELLIS, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UM, UH, AND I'M SURE WE HAVE OTHER PEOPLE.
I THINK, UH, REPRESENTATIVE MORALES HAS SOMEBODY HERE.
I'VE BEEN UP THERE CHATTING WITH THREE PEOPLE AND I'VE MISSED A BUNCH OF PEOPLE.
UM, THANK YOU, UH, REPRESENTATIVE CAYMAN STAFF, UH, ARE HERE.
IF I'VE MISSED ANYBODY, UM, THAT'S ON ME, BUT IT'S NOT BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT VALUED AND WE DON'T THANK YOUR PRESENCE HERE TODAY.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, BEFORE I GO ON, IF YOU'LL INDULGE ME IN THANKING, UM, OUR STAFF PAST AND PRESENT, UM, KEN, RAISE YOUR HAND.
HE WAS MY FIRST PROJECT COORDINATOR IN OH EIGHT.
I DRAGGED HIM AWAY FROM PARKS AND WILDLIFE AND HE WAS A SEMINAL FIGURE IN CREATING THE, THE, UH, PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE TODAY.
WHERE'S MY CURRENT PROJECT MANAGER, CATHERINE AND YOUR STAFF.
WHERE ARE Y'ALL? RAISE YOUR HANDS.
NOT ONLY DOES SHE NOT NEED ME, SHE DOESN'T WANT ME THERE BECAUSE SHE CAN DO IT ALL BETTER THAN I CAN.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, ABBY AND ALL OF OUR CONFIDENT ADMINISTRATIVE, COMPETENT ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, UM, THEY REALLY DO NOT NEED ME, UH, TO DO A REALLY GOOD JOB, UH, FOR ALL OF US, UH, IN THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA.
SO VERY QUICKLY, I, I DON'T WANNA SPEND TOO THERE, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE HIGHER IQS AND MORE IMPORTANT JOBS THAN I DO THAT WANNA SPEAK AND WILL TELL YOU SOME INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY.
BUT THIS MILLIONTH TREE, UM, THERE, THERE ARE THINGS THAT IT IS AND THINGS THAT IT ISN'T.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL LIVE OAK, WHICH IS RELEVANT TO, YOU KNOW, TREES FOR HOUSTON CAME 43 OR SO YEARS AGO OUT OF A COMBINATION OF SOME GRASSROOTS EFFORTS, ONE OF WHICH WAS THE LIVE OAK SOCIETY, AND ONE OF WHICH WAS TREES FOR DOWNTOWN.
AND SO BOTH OF THINGS, THERE'S, THERE'S A SYNERGY THERE, UH, UM, OF BEING HERE TODAY WITH THAT TREE IN THIS PLACE AT THE HERITAGE SOCIETY THAT I, I'M VERY PROUD OF.
AND THE MILLIONTH TREE OF IS OF COURSE, UM, A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE.
BUT WHAT THAT MILLIONTH TREE, UM, IS NOT, IS IT'S NOT AN END POINT.
IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT A DATA POINT, IT'S NOT JUST A STATISTIC.
IT IS EVIDENCE OF 1 MILLION LEAPS OF FAITH IN THE FUTURE, RIGHT? IT'S 1 MILLION TIMES WHERE SOMEBODY SAID, I'M GONNA DO SOMETHING THAT IS NOT FOR ME, IT'S FOR MY KIDS OR FOR MY GRANDKIDS.
UM, IT'S A MILLION TIMES SAID SOMEBODY SAID, THIS CITY THAT WE HAVE ALL EITHER BORN HERE OR ADOPTED, UM, IS IMPORTANT AND I'M GONNA LEAVE IT A LITTLE BETTER THAN HOW I FOUND IT.
UM, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE MILLIONTH TREE IS A DEPARTURE POINT.
IT IS A DEPARTURE POINT FOR THE NEXT MILLION AND THE MILLION AFTER THAT.
AND TREES FOR HOUSTON IS NOW BY SOME FAR DISTANCE THE MOST EFFECTIVE, UH, TREE PLANTING, REGIONAL TREE PLANTING ENTITY IN NORTH AMERICA.
AND THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE INDIVIDUALS IN THIS ROOM, THE STAFF WHO DO IT, AND THE CORPORATIONS AND PHILANTHROPIC ENTITIES WHO PAY FOR IT.
WE DON'T USE ANY TAX DOLLARS, RIGHT? WE WORK WELL WITH MUNICIPALITIES AND GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS TO EFFICIENTLY GET STUFF IN THE GROUND.
UM, BUT WE DON'T USE THEIR TAX DOLLARS.
THEY HAVE BIGGER FISH TO FRY RIGHT THAN THAN THAT, BUT WE CAN HELP THEM WITH THAT.
AND THIS PLACE IS JUST A BETTER PLACE BECAUSE OF PEOPLE LIKE YOU.
AND, AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING TREES FOR HOUSTON TO BE THE TIP OF THAT SPEAR WHEN IT COMES TO TREE PLANTING.
SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH WITH THAT, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE, UM, SOMEBODY FROM CHEVRON, OUR GREAT COLLEAGUES AT, UH, AT CHEVRON.
UM, WE, WE DO GREAT WORK WITH THEM AND AS I, AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE FOR, FOR WELL OVER TWO DECADES.
SO LEAH, IF YOU WILL COME, WHERE'S LEAH, CAN YOU COME? THERE YOU ARE.
AND, UH, PLEASE, UH, INDULGE HER WITH YOUR, UH, ATTENTION FOR A FEW MINUTES.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE PARTNERSHIP YOU AND TREES FOR HOUSTON HAVE BUILT WITH US OVER THE YEARS AT CHEVRON.
WE ARE PROUD TO STAND ALONGSIDE TREES FOR
[00:10:01]
HOUSTON.IT IS AN HONOR TO BE CELEBRATING NOT JUST HOW FAR WE'VE COME TOGETHER, BUT THIS INCREDIBLE MILESTONE, 1 MILLION TREES PLANTED IN HOUSTON.
JUST THINK ABOUT THAT 1 MILLION, IT'S A LITTLE BIT HARD TO WRAP YOUR HEAD AROUND THAT.
UM, BUT THINK ABOUT IT THIS WAY.
IF YOU PLANTED A SINGLE TREE EVERY DAY, IT WOULD TAKE NEARLY 3000 YEARS TO REACH A MILLION.
YET HERE WE ARE TODAY BECAUSE THOUSANDS OF HOUSTONIANS CAME TOGETHER YEAR AFTER YEAR TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
NOW THAT IS WHAT I CALL PARTNERSHIP.
SPEAKING OF PARTNERSHIP, UH, OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH TREES FOR HOUSTON STARTED IN 1998 WITH A SIMPLE IDEA OF BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO GROW SOMETHING LONG LASTING.
THAT FIRST EVENT BROUGHT 120 CHEVRON EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES TO HUMBLE TREE FARM, WHERE WE POTTED SMALL SAPLINGS THAT WOULD LATER BE PLANTED ACROSS THE REGION.
FROM THAT ONE AFTERNOON TO A HUNDRED TREE TO A MILLION TREES.
TODAY, THIS PARTNER HAS PARTNERSHIP, HAS GROWN RIGHT IN FRONT OF OUR EYES AND ALONGSIDE HOUSTON SPANNING MORE THAN 25 YEARS.
HERE'S WHAT MAKES THAT SPECIAL AND HERE'S WHAT MAKES IT WORK.
WE CARE BOTH DEEPLY ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT, ABOUT THE CITY THAT WE CALL HOME.
WE BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIP, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, BRINGING COMPANIES, NONPROFITS, AND COMMUNITIES TOGETHER TO ROLL UP THEIR SLEEVES TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
AND HONESTLY, OUR EMPLOYEES LOVE IT.
TREES FOR HOUSTON GIVES THEM THAT HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE AND, UH, GIVEN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE REAL IMPACT.
OVER THE YEARS, CHEVRON HAS CONTRIBUTED MORE THAN $1.8 MILLION TO SUPPORT THIS WORK, INCLUDING BEING THE FIRST CORPORATE PARTNER TO BACK CORPORATE PARTNER FOR TREES FOR HOUSTON'S INAUGURAL CAPITAL CAMPAIGN.
ONE RESULT WE'RE ESPECIALLY PROUD OF IS OUR SUPPORT FOR THE KINDER CAMPUS, WHICH IS A 9,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY, HOUSING THOUSANDS OF NATIVE TREES AND SEEDLINGS OPEN THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.
FOR HOUSTONIANS TO TAKE HOME A TREE, A MILLION TREES MEANS A MILLION CHANCES.
IT'S CLEAN AIR FOR OUR KIDS, STRONGER NEIGHBORHOODS.
IT'S PROOF THAT WHEN YOU SHOW UP CONSISTENTLY, WHEN YOU INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY, THE IMPACT MULTIPLIES BEYOND ANYTHING YOU CAN IMAGINE.
WE'RE IN THIS FOR THE LONG HAUL BECAUSE THE BEST PARTNERSHIPS LIKE THE BEST TREES JUST KEEP GROWING.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING US BE A PART OF HOUSTON'S MILLION TREE STORY.
AND AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE SOMEONE WHO REALLY NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION.
AND THANK YOU TO CHEVRON, WHO RECENTLY THIS YEAR MOVED ITS CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS.
ITS INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS.
TO A COUPLE OF BLOCKS FROM HERE, A REAL STATEMENT ABOUT HOUSTON'S GREATNESS AND YOUR LEADERSHIP.
THEY WILL HAVE WHEN THEY COMPLETE THEIR TRANSITION.
6,500 INDIVIDUALS WORKING FOR CHEVRON HERE IN HOUSTON.
THEY DIDN'T GO TO SUBURBS, THEY CAME DOWNTOWN BECAUSE OF THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I'M GONNA BE SHORT BECAUSE TODAY BELONGS TO THE TREES, BUT THE TREES COULD, COULD NOT DO IT ALONE.
BUT TO SAY AS YOU GAVE THE DATA, UH, 1000000TH TREE TAKING THOUSANDS OF YEARS OF INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE EFFORT REALLY SPEAKS TO HOUSTON'S GREATNESS.
AND I HAVE TO MENTION HOUSTON'S GREATNESS BECAUSE IF WE PAUSE FOR A MOMENT AND REALIZE WHAT'S GOING ON IN OTHER MAJOR CITIES ACROSS AMERICA, MOST OF 'EM ARE IN TURMOIL.
AND LOOK WHAT WE'RE DOING IN HOUSTON, TEXAS TODAY.
ALL OF US COLLECTIVELY SITTING HERE CELEBRATING SUCCESS.
AND REALLY JUST THE BEGINNING, BECAUSE I KNOW THE CONTRIBUTIONS AS A HOUSTONIAN, THE TREES OF HOUSTON HAVE CONTRIBUTED.
I FINISHED HIGH SCHOOL IN 68 AT WALTRIP NORTHWEST HOUSTON.
THERE WAS NO TREES FOR HOUSTON HEADQUARTERS ACROSS THE STREET.
I'VE SEEN YOUR TREES FOR FREEWAYS, TREES FOR SCHOOLS.
SO LET ME JUST TELL YOU ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS 2.3 MILLION HOUSTONIANS AND THE 700,000 THAT DROVE TO HOUSTON TODAY TO WORK AND ATTEND EVENTS.
WE NOT ONLY WANT TO ASSIST IN PLANTING, BUT CERTAINLY MAINTAINING OUR MATURE TREES.
[00:15:01]
DECIDE WHETHER TO SAY IT OR NOT, BUT WE GOTTA CARE FOR THOSE MATURE TREES.WE'RE GONNA PLANT SOME BABIES TODAY, BUT I SHOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO FIGHT THE MONTROSE TURS NOT TO CUT DOWN 50 TREES.
THEY NEEDED A LITTLE LOVE OR GO AROUND WALKER AT TRANQUILITY PARK, THE ROOTS THAT WERE EXPOSED FOR YEARS AND YEARS.
THEY GOT A GOOD BLESSING OF TOP SAW PETE MOSS.
AND IT'S UH, IT'S JUST A COLLABORATION IS GETTING IT DONE.
COMMISSIONER ELLIS, WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING OUR PARTNERSHIP.
SALLY ALCORN, SHE NEVER LETS THE DAY GO BY THAT SHE'S NOT LOOKING OUT FOR PARKS AND TREES.
SO ANYWAY, I WASN'T GONNA SPEAK LONG, BUT I GET KIND OF EXCITED ABOUT THE GREATNESS OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THEREFORE I'M JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
HEREBY PROCLAIM FEBRUARY 5TH, 2026 AS TREES FOR HOUSTON'S ME TREE MILESTONE DAY IN ACROSS THIS GREAT CITY.
AND I'LL LEAVE THIS WITH TREES FOR HOUSTON.
UH, WITH THAT I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE, UH, COMMISSIONER ELLIS UP.
RONNIE, IF YOU COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THIS GUY WILL PLANT ANY AMOUNT OF TREES.
WE, WE, WE DON'T HAVE TO ASK TWICE FOR A PLACE TO PLAN A TRAY.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE WORKING WITH YOU AND YOUR STAFF.
GIVE BARRY WARM ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
WHEN I GOT TO INVITE BARRY, I KNEW I HAD TO COME BECAUSE IT'LL MAKE UP FOR HAVING BEEN ON YOUR BOARD FOR A DECADE.
I, I'VE NEVER BEEN TO A MEETING, BUT UH, I, WHEN I SAW THE INVITE, I SAID I'D COME DO THIS.
LOOK, I I MAYOR, I APPRECIATE THE VALUE TREE SO MUCH.
THEY ARE A UNIVERSAL SYMBOL, UH, TO CONNECT THE PHYSICAL, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH THE NATURAL AND REALLY THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY, NOT JUST IN THIS COUNTRY, BUT EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD.
TREES PLAY SUCH AN IMPORTANT SYMBOL FOR SO MUCH OF THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS THAT WE HAVE IN GOVERNMENT AND LIFE.
UH, I GREW UP IN A, TO THE YATES FAMILY OF, OF FREEDOM COLONY.
IT'S CALLED SUNNYSIDE AND CAME OUTTA HIGH SCHOOL MAYOR IN 1972.
SO I LEARNED VERY EARLY THE SIGNIFICANCE OF TREES BECAUSE WHEN I GO OUT AS A YARD BOY, I TALKED MY WAY INTO THE HOUSE.
BUT IF I COULDN'T GET IN THE HOUSE TO VISIT WITH THE OWNERS, I SPENT MY TIME UNDER TREES.
JUST AS A POINTER REFERENCE, I WANNA GIVE YOU A FEW STATISTICS TO JUST GIVE YOU SOME SYMBOLISM OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF A MILLION TREES.
URBAN TEXAS ALONE HAS ABOUT 240 MILLION TREES.
SO LONG BEFORE WE WERE AROUND TO PLANT 'EM.
TREES WERE IMPORTANT PART OF THE LANDSCAPE.
BUT TO GIVE YOU SOME SENSE OF WHAT A MILLION TREES WOULD BE LIKE, IT WOULD BE LIKE DOWNTOWN HOUSTON.
PUT IT AT MAYBE A THOUSAND 178 ACRES.
IT WOULD BE A FOREST, BUT IT WOULD BE 13.8 TIMES DOWNTOWN HOUSTON FOR RICE UNIVERSITY, WHICH IS 300 ACRES.
IT WOULD BE A FOREST THERE, 54.1 TIMES RICE UNIVERSITY.
IF IT WAS A MEDICAL CENTER, WHICH IS 1300 ACRES, IT WOULD BE 12.1 TIMES THE MEDICAL CENTER.
HERE'S THE LAST ONE, JUST COMPARE IT TO THE NRG ASTRODOME FOOTPRINT.
IT WOULD BE 1,775 TIMES THE FOOTPRINT OF THAT COMPLEX.
SO IT IS A MAJOR ACHIEVEMENT, BUT WE ARE NOT FINISHED YET BECAUSE WE STILL NEED TO PLANT A LOT MORE TREES.
THE ONE THING I DID LEARN ABOUT BEING ON THE BOARD BUT NOT GOING TO THE BOARD MEETING
I WAS BIKE RIDING SOMEWHERE AND I SAW THIS CAMPUS AND I SAID, WHAT THE HELL ARE ALL THESE? WHAT IS THIS OUT HERE? AND THAT'S WHEN HE ASKED ME TO GO ON THE BOARD AND HE SAID, LOOK, IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET 'EM IN PARKS AND PUBLIC SPACES, BUT THE REAL CHALLENGE IS TO GET PEOPLE TO PLANT TREES IN THEIR YARDS.
SO YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB, BARRY.
GET THAT NEXT MILLION IN SOON.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER.
UH, RELATIVELY RECENTLY, IN TERMS OF MY TIMEFRAME OF THINGS, UH, COMMISSIONER BRIANIS, UM, HAS SHOWN A REFRESHING AND HIGHLY LAUDABLE, UH, EFFORT AT PLANTING TREES, GREENING HER STREETS, UH, IN HER AREA AND GENERALLY IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE, UM, UH, ACROSS HARRIS COUNTY.
AND SO I WAS VERY HAPPY TO FIND OUT THAT SHE, UH, WAS ABLE TO SEND A REPRESENTATIVE DAY.
SO, ASHLEY, ARE YOU, IS ASHLEY THERE?
[00:20:01]
WE ARE.SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, FOR TAKING THE TIME AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING.
UM, IN FACT, THEY'RE GOOD ENOUGH AT IT.
THEY, FRANKLY, THEY DON'T NEED US VERY MUCH, BUT UM, THEY ARE DOING FABULOUS STUFF OUT THERE.
IT'S GREAT AND IT'S INNOVATIVE WORK AND WE ARE VERY HAPPY FROM THE TREE PERSPECTIVE FOR WHAT Y'ALL ARE DOING OUT THERE.
MY NAME IS ASHLEY DEION TORRES.
I AM SUPERINTENDENT OF OUTDOOR RECREATION AND EDUCATION WITH PRECINCT FOREST PARKS DEPARTMENT.
UM, I AM HERE BECAUSE COMMISSIONER LESLIE BNES WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO ATTEND.
UM, IN MY TIME WITH PRECINCT FOUR, THE FIRST TIME I CAME ACROSS AND CROSSED PATHS WITH TREES FOR HOUSTON WAS AT A TREE PLANTING EVENT ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO.
AND AT THAT EVENT I WAS A VOLUNTEER AND I SAW WHAT THEY WERE DOING AND I WAS LIKE, OKAY, TREES FOR HOUSTON, TAKE CONNOTE.
THEY GET YOU FREE TREES AND THEY GET YOU THE PEOPLE.
THEY PUT THE TREES ON THE GROUND.
FAST FORWARD IN THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, I'VE HAD THE CHANCE TO WORK WITH CATHERINE, BE IN MEETINGS WITH BARRY MORE SO FROM THE PLANNING SIDE OF THINGS.
AND IT'S BEEN REALLY WONDERFUL TO SEE THEY'RE NOT JUST THERE TO PUT THE TREE IN THE GROUND.
THEY'RE INVOLVED WITH THE COMMUNITY FROM THE FIRST GET GO.
WHEN WE'RE REACHING OUT TO THEM SAYING WE HAVE A COMMUNITY THAT WANTS TO PUT TREES, THEIR STAFF GETS OUT IN THE FIELD, THEY OFFER THE CONSULTATION, THEY FIND OUT WHAT ARE THE NEEDS, LET'S CUSTOMIZE THIS PLANNING FOR YOU.
AND THEN AFTER THE TREE IS IN ONE STEP THAT'S NOT FORGOTTEN BY THEM IS THE MAINTENANCE.
THERE IS A MAINTENANCE PLAN IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT TREE IS SURVIVING AND THAT IT HAS THE IMPACT THAT WE WANT FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT, COLLABORATION, AND GENEROUS DONATIONS AS WELL WITH PARTNERS LIKE CHEVRON THAT BENEFIT PRECINCT FOUR.
AND WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION TO GIVE HERE.
SO BARRY, I'LL GO AHEAD AND LEAVE THAT WITH YOU.
AND UH, OUR THANKS TO THE COMMISSIONER AS WELL.
UH, THE NEXT PERSON WHO WOULD LIKE US TO TAKE A COUPLE MINUTES OF YOUR TIME, UM, IS ABNER LINES.
WHERE, WHERE ARE YOU? THERE YOU ARE.
SO ABNER, UH, WORKS WITH, UH, UH, HAROLD DUTTON OF COURSE, AND, BUT HE'S ALSO A, A EXTREMELY ENERGETIC AND ACTIVE, UH, GRASSROOTS ORGANIZER OF BEAUTIFICATION AND OF COURSE TREE PLANTING.
AND HE IS A FABULOUS FORCE MULTIPLIER AND PARTNER OF OURS AT TREES FOR HOUSTON.
SO ABNER, IF YOU WOULD LOVE TO USE A FEW WORDS.
Y'ALL CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT.
I AM THE FOUNDER AND CEO OF THE GREATER EAST HOUSTON COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, WHICH WAS FOUNDED BACK IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE I GREW UP SINCE 1972.
BUT I GOT SOMETHING I WANNA SHARE WITH Y'ALL BEFORE I GET STARTED.
YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M A, YOU KNOW, I'M A PRETTY TOUGH GUY.
I DON'T, YOU KNOW, DO TOO MUCH SOBBING, BUT I THINK TREES FOR HOUSTON, BARRY WARD AND HIS TEAM, CATHERINE AND, AND ABBY AND ALL THE REST OF 'EM, THEY LOVE TO SEE ME CRY
AND THAT'S WHO I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT TODAY.
THOSE THAT ARE LEAST FORGOTTEN THAT BARRY WARD AND HIS TEAM HAS GIVEN HOPE TO WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
WHEN WE FIRST STARTED, WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WE WERE DOING.
I REMEMBER, UH, WE, WE, I THINK IT WAS KEY HOUSTON, BEAUTIFUL.
AND, UH, WE HAD A PROJECT WE WERE DOING AND THEY SAID, WELL, YOU NEED TO MEET TREES FOR HOUSTON.
DURING THAT TIME, I DIDN'T KNOW ANYBODY.
I DIDN'T KNOW BARRY AT THE TIME.
I JUST WENT OVER AND WE FOUND THE TREES AND WE BEAUTIFIED THIS COMMUNITY OVER THERE CALLED PARK NORTH.
AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, YOU GUYS, WE ACTUALLY WON AN AWARD FOR BEAUTIFICATION 10 YEARS AGO AND DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT IT WAS, I WOULD BE AT THIS POINT WITH TREES FOR HOUSTON.
SO THANK YOU ALL DURING THAT TIME WHEN WE WANT, WE WANTED TO KEEP HOUSTON BEAUTIFUL.
FAST FORWARD, WE WENT TO THE CITY.
THAT WAS WAY BEFORE YOUR TIME.
MAYOR JOHN WENT MY WAY BEFORE YOUR TIME, SO YOU'RE GOOD.
SO WE TRIED TO GET SOME TREES PLANTED.
WE WANTED TO MAKE THAT TO BE OUR FIRST BIG PROJECT WAS TO HAVE TREES PLANTED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WELL, THEY CAME BACK TO US AND SAID IT WAS GONNA COST US $300,000.
OF COURSE OUR HEADS WENT BACK DOWN, SAID THAT'S JUST NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
TWO YEARS LATER, BARRY WARD CALLED ME OUT OF THE BLUE, HEY ABNER.
I'M LIKE, OKAY, HOW ARE YOU SIR? I'M WITH TREES FOR HOUSTON.
OKAY, HEY, YOU STILL WANT THAT PROJECT DONE OFF OF MESA ROAD, GETTING THOSE TREES PLANTED? I'M LIKE, ABSOLUTELY.
HE SAID, WHEN CAN WE, WHEN DO YOU WANT TO GET IT DONE? I SAID, WELL, WHENEVER YOU GUYS CAN.
AND THAT WAS OUR FIRST PROJECT.
BURY THEM, BOUGHT THEIR TEAM OUT AND THEY PLANTED OVER 300 TREES
[00:25:01]
WITH VOLUNTEERS.AND THAT WAS OUR FIRST, Y'ALL GET HIM A HAND FOR THAT 300 TREES BECAUSE WE DIDN'T THINK IT WAS POSSIBLE.
SO WE WENT FROM 300,000 TO A COUPLE OF DOLLARS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
AND THAT'S WHAT, AND THEN NOT ONLY DID HE DO THAT, THE LADY WHO DONATED THE FUNDS TO OUR ORGANIZATION, MS. MARILYN WHITAKER, SHE PASSED AWAY AND BARRY PLANTED A TREE ON HER BEHALF AND IS STILL STANDING TODAY IN FRONT OF A PROJECT THAT WE'RE DOING.
AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONER RODNEY ELLIS FOR THAT PROJECT OFF OF MESA ROAD THAT'S HAPPENING.
WE PLANTED THAT TREE IN FRONT OF THOSE APARTMENTS THAT ARE BEING BUILT RIGHT NOW TODAY ON HER BEHALF.
AND AGAIN, THAT ALL TIES INTO THE GOOD HEARTS OF TREES FOR HOUSTON BEING A GREAT PARTNER.
NOW, THE LAST ONE, SONYA, IF YOU CAN COME UP HERE AND PLEASE HELP ME.
'CAUSE PEOPLE THINK YOU'LL BE MAKING THESE STORIES UP.
IF YOU CAN GRAB THAT BACK THERE BEHIND ME, THERE WERE MANY PARTNERS TO ASSIST US IN THIS.
OH SON, IT'S THOSE BIG OLD FRAMES BACK THERE.
I'M NOT BOSSING HER, YOU GUYS, I'M JUST ASKING HER TO BRING THOSE UP THERE.
I DON'T WANT TO GET IN NO TROUBLE HERE.
BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS, AGAIN, BARRY CALLING ME ABNER, WE GOT ANOTHER PROJECT FOR YOU.
I'M LIKE, REALLY? OH, DON'T SHOW HIM YET.
HEY ABNER, WE YOU STILL WANT THOSE TREES PLANTED ON MESA ROAD? YES, THAT WOULD BE GREAT BARRY.
AND LO AND BEHOLD, NOT ONLY DID BARRY BRING 132 BEAUTIFUL TREES ON THE ESPLANADES, BUT HE BROUGHT IN 75 VOLUNTEERS FROM OUT OF TOWN AND LIMOUSINE BUSES AND SAID ALL WE HAD TO DO WAS JUST WORK WITH THEM AND MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
AND TO THIS DAY, WE HAVE ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL, OH MY GOD, YOU HAVE TO COME SEE IT FOR YOURSELF.
BUT ON THAT, I WANT TO THANK NOT ONLY BARRY BUT HIS PARTNERS, UH, WHAT'S THAT DEPARTMENT OF, UH, WHAT THEY CALLED DEPARTMENT OF RECREATION, HOUSTON PARK, HOUSTON PARK AND RECREATION, UH, THE FORESTERS MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER, UH, COMMISSIONER RILEY.
BECAUSE IT ALL HAS TO BE AN AGREEMENT.
'CAUSE YOU HAVE TO GO TO THESE DEPARTMENTS AND ASK FOR, YOU KNOW, ASSISTANCE.
SO WE BOUGHT SOMETHING FOR THEM TO KEEP AND CHERISH FOR YEARS TO COME.
AND WE WANT TO THANK EOG WAS IT EOG RESOURCES THAT TRAVELED THE DISTANCE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
SO BARRY, IF YOU CAN COME UP, COMMISSIONER ROD ELLIS, IF YOU COULD COME UP.
I'M COUNTRY, UH, JOHN RALPH, JOHN WA IF YOU CAN COME UP J MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER, IF YOU CAN COME UP PLEASE, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
UH, AND IF EOG IS HERE, IF YOU COULD COME UP.
LEMME TELL YOU, SOME OF THEM HAD NEVER PLANTED A TREE IN THEIR LIFE OR EVEN HAD A TACO OR KNEW WHAT SHIP THAT DONUTS WAS, BUT THEY WORKED THEM TREES AND GOT IT DONE WITHIN TWO HOURS AND THEY WAS BACK IN THOSE LIMINE LIMOUSINE BUSES AND WENT ON ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS.
BUT AGAIN, WE'RE JUST SOME DOWN TO EARTH PEOPLE AND BURIED.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT SHOWS THE SIGNIFICANCE BECAUSE WE, WE ARE HONORED TO BE STANDING HERE TO EVEN SPEAK BECAUSE WE'RE NOT THE POPULAR OR THE BIG MOUTH OR THE BIG HOUSE WITH JUST LITTLE GUYS.
SO WE WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION AS PARTNERS.
I'M NOT GONNA DO ANYTHING UNLESS YOU GIVE A
REALLY? WAIT, WHERE IS SHE? BUT I REALLY WANT TO THANK TREES FOR HOUSTON AND I DIDN'T CRY THIS TIME, BARRY.
BECAUSE I CRIED AT MY WEDDING THIS PAST SATURDAY.
SO, SO A MILLION TREES TO BE PLANTED, THAT IS A MIRACLE AGAIN FOR AN ORGANIZATION.
AND I JUST THANK YOU GUYS FOR, FOR, FOR, FOR ADOPTING EAST HOUSTON AND BEING A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY AND MAKING HISTORY ALIVE TODAY.
SO ON BEHALF, THESE ARE THE PEOPLE.
SO Y'ALL DIDN'T THINK I WAS SHOW? CAN Y'ALL SEE THAT? SO YOU WON'T THINK I WAS FAKE? GIVE THEM A HAND.
AND YOUR NAME IS IN THE PAPER.
SO AS WE WIND DOWN, WE'RE ABOUT TO HEAD OVER AND START, UH, PLANTING THIS TREE.
THE UH, LAST THING I WANNA DO IS I WANNA RECOGNIZE, UM, THE CREW FROM ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN.
WE ARE FORTUNATE HERE IN THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA TO HAVE, HAVE WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE THE FOREMOST TREE MOVING COMPANY IN THE WORLD IN ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN.
AND THESE GUYS ARE ABOUT TO PUT THIS, UH, PUT THE FINISHING TOUCHES ON THIS TREE FOR US.
AND THEY'RE A LONG TIME SUPPORTER OF ALL THINGS GREEN IN THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA.
AND THEN THE LAST AND MOST IMPORTANT THANK YOU I HAVE TODAY IS FOR, UM, THE HOUSTON, UH,
[00:30:01]
PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.UM, THEY TOLERATE OUR COMING TO THEM CONSTANTLY TRYING TO GET MORE TREES IN THE GROUND.
AND I KNOW, UM, THEY HAVE A LOT OF IRONS AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT FIRES.
BUT I THANK ALL OF YOU AT EVERY LEVEL FOR DOING YOUR BEST TO WORK WITH US TO GET STUFF LIKE THIS DONE.
AND SO, UM, I KNOW DIRECTOR ALLEN, I DON'T THINK IS HERE IS JEREMY.
IS JEREMY HERE? JEREMY, RAISE YOUR HAND.
JEREMY, YOU ARE A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH.
UM, AND YOU ARE REALLY GOOD AT WHAT YOU DO AND WE APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR STAFF.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO, JEREMY.
SO WITH THAT, ABBY, I THINK, UH.