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A local organization was created to increase San Antonio’s tree canopy — and they are inviting everyone to come out to enjoy it.
That organization is Bexar Branches Alliance, and leading that walk is Bob Morris, who says trees do a lot of giving.
“They offset the high temperatures during the summer because urban areas are heat islands,” Morris said. “You got all this asphalt and concrete, and roof absorbs a lot of heat, and so trees do a pretty good job of offsetting that heat that occurs in these urban environments.”
Morris notes another important function of trees: soaking up rainwater.
“Trees are very good (at) improving water quality and air quality. And one of the things that trees do is they mitigate stormwater,” he said.
Nature has no real way of explaining itself, so Morris’s function is to lead that walk, telling stories along the way, all about the attributes of trees.
“This one is particularly sponsored by Bexar Branches Alliance, and so what I do is I introduce folks to the area, describe where we are — from an ecological standpoint.”
Morris said there are no climbing or difficult maneuvers.
“My walks usually last around two hours. Sometimes it's a little shorter. Sometimes a little bit longer, depending on the audience,” Morris said. “The terrain is real easy, and I've established that my walks be easy so that just about anyone can attend, whether you're young or you're old like me.”
The walk takes place at McAllister Park.
“We'll a walk a little ways, just kind of enjoy the ambiance, and then we'll stop, and I'll talk and discuss things that are present in the immediate area,” he said.
“Some of the things that I discuss in areas (are) the geology, the history of the area, the ecology of the area," Morris said. "One of the remarkable things about Bexar County it is one of the most diverse regions in the whole state of Texas ecologically, because we have the intersection of four different eco regions, and there's six watersheds that support the San Antonio River Basin, and five of those six watersheds are right here in Bexar County."
Find more information and read about Bexar Branches Alliance here.
