Houston's Four Hour Forest Project - Dig In, Ya'll!!

Houston is having one hell of an Arbor Day and you too can be a part of it (you just have to get your hands a little on the dirty side). Arbor Day was established in 1872 by J. Sterling Morton of Nebraska City, Nebraska. It seems that the Nebraska Territory was not readily settled, due to the lack of trees on the tallgrass prairie (the better to build and heat cabins - log cabins, not grass ones). Hey, if free land won't bring in the settlers, something is seriously amiss! Purportedly, over a million trees were planted in Nebraska on the first Arbor Day, then only a one-state event. Word of how cool planting trees really is spread pretty quickly - considering there were no cell phones "back in the day". The tree-planting holiday was celebrated in every state by 1894.

Now that we've given you a little background - we urge you to pack some granola bars and maybe some bottled water this Saturday and participate in Houston's largest ever, wholly voluntary Arbor Day event. Join Trees for Houston, the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, Keep Houston Beautiful, Lyondell Chemical, Houston Airport System, the Humble Area Chamber of Commerce and the Texas Department of Transportation, and a number of other volunteers/individuals (hopefully a large number - like 2,000), as 20,000 five-gallon trees are planted along Will Clayton Parkway (this is out near Intergalactic George Bush Intercontinental Airport, for you "inner loopers"). U.S. Rep. Ted Poe -R, Humble sponsored the Houston Area Freeway and Forestation Project, even obtaining $28.5 million in funding to make the dream a reality. Trees not only engage in photosynthesis, they also help prevent erosion and are beautiful to boot!

To volunteer, rain or shine (hopefully shine), please bring your own: shovel, rake, gloves, bug spray and/or sunscreen. We weren't serious about the water and granola, water, refreshments and lunch will be provided to volunteers. Report at 8:00 a.m. to Will Clayton Parkway, between Lee Road and McKay Road near 59 North. They'll cut you loose at noon-ish. Don't forget to print and complete your permission slip registration form and waiver (you wonk yourself with your own shovel, it's really all you).

Here's some more information, including, but not limited to, where to park.

Photo by Flickr user slight clutter.