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The San Antonio Botanical Garden and its community partners have planted the first 1,000 native trees along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, marking a milestone in a five-year effort to restore the riverbank following the devastating 2025 flood.
The planting took place Thursday, Nov. 5, as part of the TREES Initiative, or Texas Recovery for Ecological and Environmental Stability. The project aims to restore 50,000 native trees along the river corridor, where flooding stripped away large sections of the natural tree canopy.
Native trees play an important role in protecting the watershed. Their roots help stabilize riverbanks, reduce erosion and filter water while their canopies provide shelter and habitat for wildlife.
The initiative is led by the San Antonio Botanical Garden in partnership with Kerr County communities and other regional organizations.
Katherine Trumble, president and CEO of the San Antonio Botanical Garden, said the project has been shaped by the relationships built with local residents, volunteers, staff and donors.
“The most remarkable part of this initiative is not how quickly an idea became a reality, but the relationships we’ve built along the way,” Trumble said. “We needed partnerships to bring our plan to fruition and found it amongst dedicated staff, donors, volunteers, and the residents of Kerr County. This initiative was shaped by their knowledge of the river and hope for its future. Every tree we plant will carry a piece of what we’ve built together for generations to come.”
Each tree begins as a seed hand-collected from the Guadalupe River's existing tree canopy, helping ensure the new growth is naturally adapted to the region. Since the initiative launched in August 2025, volunteers and Botanical Garden staff have collected more than 850,000 native seeds — enough to grow the 50,000 trees planned for restoration.
The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country has committed $3 million to the initiative through its Kerr County Flood Relief Fund.
That investment also allows donations to the TREES Initiative to be matched dollar for dollar, up to an additional $1 million. The matching opportunity runs through April 15, 2027.
Austin Dickson, CEO of the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, said restoring the Guadalupe River is an important part of the region's recovery and preserving the natural resource for future generations.
The first 1,000 trees mark the beginning of the planting phase of the broader restoration effort, which will continue over the next five years.
More information about the TREES Initiative and how to contribute is available through the San Antonio Botanical Garden.
