Texas Border Business
The City of McAllen Parks and Recreation Department received a $15,000 grant from Texas A&M Forest Service Community Forestry Grant to add two urban forests. The McAllen Parks and Recreation Department is honored to be a part of the historic $15.4 million award for 2024.
Connecting children to the importance of trees in their community is vital for the future of parks. Urban Forest #9 will be planted by the City After School Program participants at Escandon Elementary. The McAllen Urban Forest Initiative began in May of 2022 with the first Urban Forest planted at Frontage Park. Since then, the McAllen Parks & Recreation Horticulture division has led the planting of eight urban forest through volunteers, donations, and project funding.
The Parks and Recreation Department launched the Urban Forest Initiative by planting a minimum of 36 native trees, at least two inch in caliper, and six to eight feet in height in a public park covering a quarter to half acre of land. Trees provide health benefits, storm water management, reduce heat island effects, and native trees help create food and habitat for birds and animals.
The McAllen Parks and Recreation tree recipe includes a mix of Wild Olive, Texas Persimmon (Chapote), Ebony, Coma del Sur, Retama, Western Soapberry, Granjeno, Texas Torchwood, and Hackberry trees, all locally harvested by local growers. Find an Urban Forest in a McAllen park near you, including Frontage Park, Morris Park, Municipal Park, Crockett Park, Palm View Park, Garza Park, Bill Schupp Park, Summer Breeze Park and now Escandon Park.
