Unpopular opinion: My street in Austin looked completely different after the city planted native trees.

Honestly, the whole block was just concrete and patchy grass for years. After they put in live oaks and drought-resistant plants two summers ago, it's noticeably cooler just walking to my car. Has anyone else seen a local project that actually made a real difference like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

laura_black3129d ago

Live oaks aren't native to Austin though.

jamie10129d ago

Wait, is this a big deal though Laura? They're still trees.

hart.mark25d ago

The city's own tree planting guide lists post oaks and cedar elms as the top native canopy trees for this area. Honestly, live oaks need way more water than our native species, which is a big deal during droughts. They can also crowd out the plants that local birds and insects actually depend on.