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Alamo Forest Partnership Mission

Mission: To evaluate, conserve, and expand the urban forest of the San Antonio region to maximize the environmental and aesthetic benefits of the urban ecosystem through community-based tree plantings, education, and partnerships.

Goals:

  • Conserve energy and water, improve air quality, and reduce storm water runoff through proper tree selection and planting.
  • Education the public on healthy ecosystems, involving appropriate placement and type of trees.
  • Promote and maintain healthy wildlife habitat and biodiversity.
  • Create inventory of existing trees and monitor the placdement of new tree planting.

L i n k s

J o i n

V o l u n t e e r

  1. Spring flowering trees may be pruned at this time.
    Source: Trees for the San Antonio Region guide, City Public Service.

  2. Compost around the dripline by August, if you have not already. Most people do this spring and/or fall. Keep compost and soil away from the trunk of the tree by several inches.
    Source: Natural Gardener, http://www.naturalgardeneraustin.com/information/tips/august.html

  3. Trees prefer deep, infrequent watering–a slow trickling hose for several hours or overnight about once a week to every 10 days for new trees.
    Source: Natural Gardener, http://www.naturalgardeneraustin.com/information/tips/august.html

  4. Trees less than two years in the ground need water every one to two weeks, depending on the soil, weather, and species of tree. Place a bubbler, a sprinkler, or a soaker hose at the dripline of the tree (the area on the ground–a circle–corresponding to the furthest reaches of the branches above), and water for 30 - 60 minutes or more with a low flow of water.
    Source: Natural Gardener, http://www.naturalgardeneraustin.com/information/tips/august.html

  5. Any time you water, use only sprinklers that spray the least amount of water into the air, where it is lost to evaporation. Water early in the morning or late in the evening for the same reason. In addition, the more water on the leaves, the greater the chances of fungal problems on the leaves. Even plain water on the leaves while the sun is out can also burn the leaves.
    Source: Natural Gardener, http://www.naturalgardeneraustin.com/information/tips/august.html

  6. Every home that has a gutter system also has downspouts. If these downspouts are directed into the landscape bed, heavy volumes of rainwater can saturate the soil and rot the roots of nearby trees and shrubs. To prevent this damage, use splashblocks or drainage pipes to direct the water away from landscape plants.
    The TruGreen CompaniesTM, http://www.trugreen.com/tg/resourcecenter/regionalSeasonal/swSummer.dsp

  7. By August, if you haven't done so already, be sure all bare soil is covered with mulch, or compost with mulch on top. Avoid putting mulch or compost onto plant stems. Use about three inches total wherever possible.
    Source: Natural Gardener, http://www.naturalgardeneraustin.com/information/tips/august.html

  8. Fertilize established trees, shrubs, lawn, and plants in June.
    Source: Natural Gardener, http://www.naturalgardeneraustin.com/information/tips/june.html

  9. Let the landscape rest in July. This is our least productive season for planting, except for some tough summer vegetables. Your best bet is to survive through the heat while you plan for the fall.
    Source: Natural Gardener, http://www.naturalgardeneraustin.com/information/tips/july.html

  10. Keep an eye open for insect pests and diseases
    Source: The Right Tree in the Right Place http://www.righttreerightplace.com/treeCare/index.asp

 

Arbor Day 2008 Photo Contest 

Each year, the Alamo Forest Partnership (AFP) hosts an Arbor Day event to celebrate the area’s urban forest and encourage citizens to get involved in the expansion and protection of this tremendous natural resource.  In addition to distributing trees and providing a tree planting and caring educational class to the public at the Arbor Day event, the AFP announces the winners of its Annual Photography Contest at the Arbor Day Celebration and displays the winning photographs.  The contest is open to all middle and high school students in the Alamo twelve-county region (Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Comal, Frio, Gillespie, Guadalupe, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Medina, and Wilson).   

The 2008 Photography Contest winners were as follows:

High School

First Place:               Jackie Binder              Shadowed Cypress with Knees 

Second Place:         Karina Eckmeier         Trees at Work

Third Place:              Lauren Noack              untitled

Middle School

First Place:               Taylor Newman           Let’s Take a Walk 

Second Place:         Shannon O’Brien        Time Can Never Destroy Beauty
 Third Place:    Rachel Mladenka          You Can Always See Your
                                                                     Reflection but Not What’s Beneath 

Arbor Day 2009 will be held during the month of November, so information and guidelines for the AFP’s 2009 Annual Photography Contest should be available on this Web site by Summer, 2009.  Be sure to watch for it!
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