Forestry plan next step in RE-Plant Memorial Park

Houston Mayor Annise Parker, along with officials from several area organizations, announced the next phase of RE-Plant Memorial Park.

Parker, the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, Memorial Park Conservancy, Apache Foundation, Houston Area Road Runners Association, the Houston Parks Board and Trees for Houston got together at Memorial Park April 13 to announce the beginning of the Memorial Park Forestry Plan.

RE-Plant Memorial Park will be a multiyear campaign that will target the reforestation of the 1,500-acre park after much of the plant life was killed by a drought.

The initial stage of the campaign began in January when 25,000 trees were planted by volunteers in four parks in the Houston area.
 
The next phase of RE-Plant Memorial Park includes four major projects: the MPC Forestry Plan to take place the end of this month; Memorial Park Triangle Plan to be funded by Tress for Houston and to be completed by May; the Running Trails and Scenic Areas Plan; and the Memorial Park Golf Course Plan.

The MPC Forestry plan includes the reforestation of trees lost during the drought of 2011. It includes the removal of dead trees and mulching to prepare the site for seedlings. It is estimated to cost $1 million.

The Memorial Park Triangle Planting Project was designed by Lauren Griffiths and was made possible with a donation of $50,000 made to Trees for Houston. The plan should be installed with irrigation by the end of May.

The Running Trails and Scenic Areas Plan will address tree planting and vegetation restoration for the Seymour Lieberman Trail, Outer Loop Trail and areas of high visibility in the park bounded by the railroad track to the west, Memorial Drive to the south, Interstate 10 to the north and Crestwood Drive to the east. The plan includes the need for a major water line and irrigation for the trees and vegetation to be planted.

 The project will cost an estimated $6.5 million and will need to be raised through private donations.

The replanting of Memorial Park Golf Course will cost $300,000.

To be a part of the RE-Plant Houston and RE-Plant Memorial Park effort, visit www.memorialparkconservancy.org, www.houstonparkboard.org, www.treesforhouston.org and www.hermannparkconservancy.org.

For more information call 832-395-7022 or visit www.houstonparks.org.