‘Each One, Plant One’ initiative by Sewa International’s Houston Chapter
Volunteers and organizers gather before start of the plantation drive.
By Vivaan Kotnis
HOUSTON: On Saturday, December 21, 2024, close to 85 enthusiastic volunteers aged between 5 to 80 years gathered from across the greater Houston area, with a significant number being dedicated high school students eager to contribute, in Alief. Along with the support of HPD, within a span of just 90 minutes, these committed volunteers successfully planted 100 trees onto Alief’s esplanades; not only shoveling mulch, planting the saplings into the ground, but cleaning up after. To ensure the long-term success of our tree planting initiative, Sewa has carefully selected native Texas tree species that are well-suited to the local climate and soil conditions. Volunteers worked alongside city officials and environmental specialists to ensure the trees are properly planted. They also added soil moist to combat the drought like conditions in Houston. To ensure the long-term sustainability of the trees, Sewa will monitor the maintenance of the trees by regularly watering the trees for the first two years.
A planting expert guides volunteers during the planting process.
Sewa International, a nonprofit organization, has partnered with the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and has launched a tree-planting initiative aimed at reducing higher temperatures in neighborhoods in the city/suburb of Alief. The project plantation season, which began in December, seeks to plant over 1000 trees in key areas where heat levels have been much higher than in other parts of greater Houston, and serve as a danger to residents.
Heat islands are a phenomenon where urban areas experience significantly higher temperatures than surrounding areas due to human activity and dense infrastructure. According to the National Weather Service, heat islands can be up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than surrounding areas, increasing risks to residents such as heat stroke and respiratory problems.
Volunteers planting the saplings and then covering them with mulch.
The tree-planting efforts will focus on planting trees on esplanades nearest to the areas that have been identified as the hottest parts of Alief, found from an heat mapping survey done by Sewa and Houston Advanced Research Center’s (HARC) “Heat Mapping” initiative. Sewa has planned to plant the next batch of trees on Saturday, January 11, 2025. The non profit organization plans to complete the plantation of its 1000 trees before summer.
The organization hopes their efforts will decrease heat and create a healthier environment in Alief. Please send an email to pmepa-houston@sewausa.org if you want to be a part of this great initiative.