Volunteers plant ten thousand trees in Texas refuge
Over two thousand volunteers planted ten thousand native saplings at the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge in south Texas on Saturday.
Planting efforts built a patchwork of habitat stages across restored lands near the American flag. Younger shrubs were planted three years ago while older trees behind them were planted ten years ago. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hosted this gathering to help restore the land.
Collaborations between the federal agency and local groups help recover thornscrub habitat on refuge tracts. This work supports the long term conservation goal of improving habitat connection and resilience in the region.
Volunteers arrived in the early morning with shovels ready and planted all ten thousand trees within two hours. These saplings represent over thirty eight different plant types found locally including Texas ebony and elbow bush.
Since the first annual effort in 1992 over seven hundred forty three acres have been restored through this conservation gathering. Many early plantings have grown into mature thornscrub habitats that provide nectar for hundreds of butterfly species and habitat for songbirds.