The Houston Health Department is kicking off a transformative initiative with the Trees and Trash 2025 event at Brewster Park on Friday, February 7, 2025.
This event marks the beginning of efforts funded by a $20 million Community Change grant from the Environmental Protection Agency, aimed at enhancing climate and energy resilience in Houston’s Fifth Ward.
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The event featured a press conference at 10:30 a.m. with speakers including Mayor John Whitmire, HHD Director Stephan Williams, and City Council Member Tarsha Jackson. The initiative brings together HHD, the EPA, Houston Wilderness, the City of Houston Solid Waste Management Department, the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, and the Black United Fund of Texas to engage community members and volunteers in planting native Super Trees and cleaning up illegal dumping sites.
The project aims to plant approximately 400 Super Trees in the Fifth Ward, to reach 10,000 by 2027. These trees will help combat heat, flooding, and pollution, while also addressing contamination from the Union Pacific Railroad site through natural remediation methods.
The EPA grant, a continuation of the Vulnerable to Vibrant series, will support various projects, including a solar workforce development program and the establishment of a community solar farm. These efforts aim to provide clean energy, job training, and environmental justice solutions to the Greater Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens communities.