HOUSTON, TX — February 5, 2026
Under a clear winter sky, the rhythmic thud of a shovel meeting soil marked a historic milestone for the Bayou City. Today, Trees For Houston (TFH) celebrated the ceremonial planting of its one-millionth tree, a majestic live oak, on the grounds of the 1847 Kellum-Noble House in Sam Houston Park.
The event served as both a tribute to four decades of urban forestry and a “departure point” for the next million trees.
A Bridge Between Past and Future
The choice of location was deeply symbolic. The Kellum-Noble House is Houston’s oldest home on its original site, once serving as the city’s first zoo and an early schoolhouse. By planting the millionth tree here, TFH bridged the city’s 19th-century roots with its 21st-century green aspirations.
Mayor John Whitmire, joined by community leaders and corporate partners, proclaimed the day as “Trees For Houston Million Tree Milestone Day.”
“Today belongs to the trees,” Mayor Whitmire told the gathered crowd. “But the trees could not do it alone. This achievement speaks to Houston’s greatness—thousands of individuals and collective efforts coming together to make our city greener.”
A Million “Leaps of Faith”
Barry Ward, Executive Director of Trees For Houston for nearly 20 years, addressed the crowd with a mix of history and vision. He noted that TFH began in 1983 as the “Live Oak Society,” a grassroots effort to protect the city’s canopy.
“This millionth tree is not an endpoint or a statistic,” Ward said. “It is evidence of one million leaps of faith in the future. It’s a million times someone said, ‘I’m going to do something that is not for me, but for my kids and grandkids.'”
Ward highlighted that TFH is now the most effective regional tree-planting entity in North America, operating entirely on private philanthropy without the use of tax dollars.
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The Power of Partnership
The milestone was made possible through a 25-year partnership with Chevron. Leah Cooper of Chevron noted that their collaboration began in 1998 with 120 employees potting saplings. Since then, Chevron has contributed over $1.8 million to the cause.
“A million trees means a million chances,” Cooper said. “It’s shade for a hot day, clean air for our kids, and proof that when you show up consistently, the impact multiplies.”
Commissioner Rodney Ellis provided a vivid perspective on the scale of the achievement, noting that a million trees, if planted together, would cover:
13.8 times the size of Downtown Houston
54.1 times the size of Rice University
1,775 times the footprint of the NRG Astrodome
Impact on the Ground: Stories from the Community
The ceremony took an emotional turn as Abner Lyons, founder of the Grit Houston Community Redevelopment Corporation, shared how TFH brought “miracles” to underserved neighborhoods.
Lyons recalled a time when a community tree project was quoted at $300,000—a sum they couldn’t afford. Two years later, Barry Ward called him out of the blue. TFH didn’t just provide the trees; they brought volunteers and experts to transform the Mesa Road area. “They have given hope to those who are least forgotten,” Lyons said through tears.
Looking Ahead
As the crew from Environmental Design lowered the live oak into the earth, the message was clear: the work is far from over. Trees For Houston continues to operate its Kinder Campus, a 9,000-square-foot facility that provides native trees to Houstonians year-round.
As Houston approaches its 190th anniversary later this year, the millionth tree stands as a living monument to a city that chooses to grow—not just in concrete and steel, but in leaf and limb.
For more information on how to get involved or receive a tree, visit TreesForHouston.org.
