A 2011 estimate from the Texas Forest Service put Houstonâs number of trees at about 663 million. The drought that occurred in 2011 though, took about 66 million of those trees out, according to the Bayou Land Conservancy. Something that is particularly noticeable in Memorial Park and something that many Houstonians and officials are loath to repeat.
Preserving trees and selecting the correct ones for our climate has become more of a priority for the city of Houston. Perhaps this is why when some trees were removed late at night outside a newly built Wendyâs recently, reports claim that the city is planning some legal action.
Itâs not the only case of trees being removed without permission. Last year a developer in the Heights took down a 100 year old sycamore tree that was over 75-feet tall. The furor that ensued seems to be giving momentum to tree preservation and getting the cityâs attention.
To tell us more about this, weâre joined by a familiar voice on these airwaves, Barry Ward, executive director of Trees for Houston.