TreeFolks

06/19/2026

Honoring Juneteenth and the nuanced history of green spaces and trees.

“A tree in the woods can signify shade and spiritual oneness, and the end of a life so brutally taken.”
― Carolyn Finney, Black Faces, White Spaces: Reimagining the Relationship of African Americans to the Great Outdoors

We're grateful to our friends at Bethany Cemetery and Black Austin Tours for their work in sharing the important history of Black Austin spaces. TreeFolks is honored to support efforts to preserve the land and tell the story of Austin's First Black Cemetery through community tree planting and tree care.

Keeping these sites and their histories alive is vital to the cultural preservation of Austin. Take a tour with Black Austin Tours or get involved with Bethany Cemetery Association to learn more. 💚

06/16/2026

Canopy Club Spotlight!

“I give every month because I want to make a contribution that feels significant to me, and that is the cadence that works with my budget. It’s important to me that TreeFolks gets consistent support throughout the year.

I think about my household budget on a monthly basis already, so the automatic monthly gifts feel easier to manage than more variable things like groceries.”
– Cass Crow

By becoming a sustaining partner, you're helping create a dependable and resilient future for Central Texas that funds free trees for Austin residents, locally grown saplings that can adapt to our evolving climate, reforestation service for flood-impacted areas, all supporting stronger communities.

Let your impact take root! Join the club today: treefolks.org/canopyclub 🌱

06/16/2026

Some unique tree sightings captured by the team on their summer travels including Prague, New Mexico, and Hong Kong 🌳

Lucky for us, Austin has some pretty amazing trees, too! You can spotlight a unique tree by nominating it for the Austin Tree of the Year Awards 🤠

Nominations are open until July 24th! Winners receive an engraved “tree cookie” and a $100 HEB card ✨

Nominate your tree: austintreeoftheyearawards.org

Thanks to City of Austin Parks and Recreation, HEB, and the Still Water Foundation for their support of the Austin Tree of the Year Awards 🏆

06/12/2026

"This tree was planted in the early years of Walnut Creek back in the 1970s. It has grown into a beautiful large tree that we learn under every week for our outdoor science lessons with PEAS. It has lovely branches that hang near the ground and large enough for you to perch yourself atop them while learning.

It houses many native birds and helps us learn about the nature that surrounds us. It provides us shade as the sun illuminates our class and it's leaves rustle gently in the wind - it's so large it is like sitting underneath a natural roof. You could stare at this tree for so long and find many things that spark joy from the interesting clumps of ball moss to the expansive canopy."

Nominated by Rachel Sauceda for the Large Tree Category of the Austin Tree of the Year Awards!

Nominations continue through July 24th! Submit your favorite Austin trees. Winners will be invited to a ceremony in the fall and take home a tree cookie and a $100 HEB gift card 🏆🌳

06/11/2026

Great forests aren’t built overnight. They grow with patience, care, and time.

Just as trees require year-round rain and sun to thrive, TreeFolks relies on steady, predictable support to fund our nursery, distribute free trees, heal flood-damaged waterways, and build stronger communities.

We're excited to introduce a way for you to become a sustaining supporter of our urban forest through our new membership program, TreeFolks Canopy Club! 🌳

As a member of the TreeFolks Canopy Club, you receive exclusive perks showing our appreciation of your continued support, such as custom merch, invitation to special donor appreciation events, and recognition in our annual report ✨

Let your impact take root today! Sign up for as little as $15. Every contribution makes a difference for the future shade of our urban forest 🌱

Learn more: treefolks.org/canopyclub

06/10/2026

06/10/2026

Come on a Nature Safari with Val at our Summer Solstice Party! 🍃🍁You won’t need to travel very far, and you’ll get to learn about, see and touch different types of leaves, acorns and native Texas trees! 🌳

Stop by the Nature Safari table to chat with Val, a TFYP member and exec team leader who says:

“I joined TFYP because I wanted to find a community in Austin of folks that love trees as much as I do! My favorite event each year is our Summer Solstice party because we get to celebrate the longest day of the year by dancing around the maypole and helping people learn more about trees!“

Join us June 18 at 6:00 PM at Better Half + Hold Out for an evening celebrating community, creativity, and the summer solstice in support of TreeFolks

06/10/2026

Last month we had the incredible opportunity of joining A Rocha USA for the kick off of Branches of Faith, a coalition bringing together churches and partners to help bring shade, beauty, cleaner air, and food to our neighborhoods as well as habitat for urban wildlife.

We're honored to be part of this tree equity mission! Thank you for having us 🌳💚

06/08/2026

Beautiful snippets of our bilingual tree id walk shot on film by Kassandra of HablameAtx and Wip.Atx 📸

Thanks to all who joined us for a lovely morning at !🌳

06/05/2026

Meet Ashleigh Pettus, the woman opening doors to Urban Forestry!

Hailing from the Bronx, New York, Ashleigh originally studied history and childhood education. That educator’s instinct now shapes everything she does in urban forest education, including learning the story of a place, understanding what is missing or underrepresented, and designing programs that speak to what people actually need in their lives.

For Ashleigh, conservation is not just about preserving the outdoors. It is about building a relationship with it. In her work with the City of Austin Government , she sees her title as a doorway, not a box. Her real job is urban forest youth education and engagement, helping young people picture what the urban forest is now, and what it could become with their hands, their knowledge, and their passion.

"Conservation work is community work"

That is the heart of her work: creating opportunity, opening gates, and helping young people realize there is a place for them in conservation, especially those who have rarely been invited to see themselves there.