Martha Chavez

Established in 1983, Trees For Houston’s efforts initially centered on planting street trees in the heart of Houston, Texas. As the city grew, so did the need for strategic, large scale tree planting to counteract the often unfortunate impact of expansion on the region’s tree canopy. Throughout our history, we have relied on the generosity of philanthropic organizations, the energy of dedicated board members, the cooperation of public agencies, and the tireless efforts of countless volunteers. Now in our 36th year, with nearly a 600,000 trees planted, our organization has evolved into one that grows, plants, and maintains tens of thousands of trees across the greater Houston area annually. Trees For Houston is a non-profit organization whose simple yet focused mission is to plant, protect, and promote trees throughout the greater Houston area. As Houstonians, we are fortunate to enjoy the beauty that trees provide for our communities, but they also provide more vital functions, such as filtering harsh pollutants from our air, providing energy conserving shade, controlling storm water runoff and providing habitat for animals that depend on them for survival. While retaining street tree plantings as a core element of our organizational mission, Trees For Houston has methodically expanded its reach, which now includes a wide variety of planting projects ranging from esplanades and trails to parks and schools. Unfortunately, Houston continues to realize the impact of the worst drought in its history. Offsetting the catastrophic loss of tens of millions of trees while keeping up with Houston’s rapid development is a formidable challenge; however it is one that we embrace. An equally important objective of our organization is to provide educational opportunities for our current members, prospective members, and volunteers of all ages to acquire knowledge of the far reaching impact that tree planting can have on the environment for generations to come.