T.C. Jester Restoration

Project Profile

Project Location

Houston, TX

Project Operator

Houston Parks and Recreation Department

Project Type

Planting

Project Credits

5,015

Credit Availability

Pending

Project Contact

Kelli Ondracek kelli.ondracek@houstontx.gov

The City of Houston launched a 10-year initiative to restore forested riparian buffers in all city parks adjacent to waterways. City of Houston staff, partners, and volunteers will restore more than 1,000 acres of habitat across 70 city parks, with an installation of more than 200,000 native trees. This initiative fulfills goals identified in the City’s recently released Climate Action Plan, specifically to implement nature-based solutions that increase carbon storage.

The T.C. Jester Riparian Restoration Project resulted in an installation of 3,000 trees along White Oak Bayou. The project converted 7.70 acres of mowed park land into diverse forested habitat with a mix of 22 native species of trees that will help to increase canopy cover and sequester carbon. The reforestation will provide habitat for local and migratory wildlife utilizing Houston’s riparian corridors and will improve the water quality of the adjacent waterway.

Funds obtained from the carbon credits will go to support the Houston Parks and Recreation Department’s Natural Resources Management Program in habitat restoration projects and land preservation efforts throughout the City of Houston.

The co-benefits from tree planting sites create a total savings of $156,202.16 per year, and $3,905,053.96 over 25 years.

  • Rain interception: 53,797.29 m3/year, $85,981.04 per year
  • Air quality: 0.7075 tons/year, $804.32 per year
  • Energy – cooling (electricity): 537,945.75 kWh/year, $50,238.75 per year
  • Energy – heating (natural gas): 1,050,997.46 kBtu/year, $12,501.04 per year

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