Keep Orange County Beautiful (KOCB) received an HEB Green Belt Grant through Keep Texas Beautiful. Solvay Specialty Polymers of Orange generously matched the grant, specifically to provide over 350 trees to help restore Orange County’s tree canopy, many of which were destroyed during Hurricane Laura in August 2020.
The HEB Grant includes an educational component stipulating that students must benefit. Trees will be distributed to Orange County’s five school districts. Studies have proven that trees planted outside of classroom windows produce higher test scores for students. Master Gardeners of Orange will assist in the distribution of the trees to schools and provide “Benefit of Trees” information to students and teachers.
The City of Orange’s Northway Park sustained a significant amount of tree damage. KOCB highlighted Northway Park last year during quarantine by reminding people that spending time outdoors has a replenishing effect on emotional health and well being by reducing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and stress.
Northway Park’s 18 acres of canopy trees are a beneficial and vital resource in these challenging times. Grants will help replace over 100 canopy trees in Northway Park.
Other locations receiving trees are West Orange Parks and three churches.
Montezuma Cypress, Live Oaks, and a variety of other Oaks are chosen for being fast-growing, wind-resistant, and sequester air pollution. “We all can find inspiration in nature’s resilience,” says Kyle O’Halloran, Orange’s Site Manager for Solvay Specialty Polymers.
For more information about KOCB, visit their website or visit their Facebook page.
