Faced with the threat of oak wilt, a fungal disease primarily affecting oak trees, the city of Woodcreek sought to find possible solutions — solutions that encourage support and cooperation throughout the area. Now, it has become officially recognized as a “Tree City USA” part of a program organized by the Arbor Day Foundation.
Woodcreek joins Buda as one of only two cities with the Tree City USA designation in Hays County. It is also now one of the few communities that have achieved both International Dark Sky and National Tree City designations.
Started in 1976, Tree City USA is one of the Arbor Day Foundation’s oldest programs. According to the foundation’s website, the Tree City USA program provides communities with a framework to maintain and grow their tree cover. It also gives them an avenue to showcase their commitment to the mission of environmental change. However, to even apply, these communities have to meet a number of standards: maintaining a tree board or department, having a community tree ordinance, spending at least $2 per capita on urban forestry and celebrating Arbor Day.
The first Tree City USA cohort was comprised of 42 communities in 16 states. Today, the program includes more than 3,600 communities from all 50 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico.
The city of Woodcreek met all four standards last fall, submitting its application to the Tree City USA program at the beginning of November 2022. The effort was a long-time coming, according to Brent Pulley, Woodcreek City Council’s liaison to its tree board.
“I’ve always been interested in the Tree City USA process, and the community has been overwhelmingly in support over the years,” he explained. “We’re lucky that a lot of good things came together, and we’re able to move ahead.”
For Pulley, this initiative was not only about turning public focus to oak wilt and tree care but also about maintaining the Hill Country environment and lifestyle.
“Like a lot of people, I was interested because we don’t want to see our Hill Country get bulldozed,” he said. “But you have to take proactive steps in order to prevent that; it doesn’t just happen. It takes an effort to maintain quality of life.”
Iris Ramos, chair of the Woodcreek tree board, emphasized the environmental focus of the initiative.
“This is not about being a better tourist town or collecting titles,” she said. “It’s a way of aspiring to conserve what we have and including the community in that process. I wouldn’t be on it if it had that kind of commercial approach or motive; that would not appeal to me as an environmentalist.”
“There are really good people on this board from all walks of life, and we are all really committed to this process,” she added.
In addition to Pulley and Ramos, the Woodcreek tree board includes Monica Rasco, Vice Chair; Jacob McElroy; Terri Burney- Bisett; Dorothy Tasian; Cynthia Jones, alternate; and Nan Simpson, alternate.
“I’m just happy to be involved in what they’re going for,” McElroy said. “I’m excited to see how we grow from here, potentially getting growth awards, grants to grow our forestry and coming up with a maintenance plan to maintain healthy trees.”
