Street trees help create appealing and walkable places by beautifying the roadside while also providing a buffer between the sidewalk and the adjacent roadway.  Historically, many of the Near Southside’s streets were lined with trees, but over time various road widening projects and lack of maintenance removed many street trees.  In 2009 FWSI began an effort to bring those tree-lined streets back by establishing the Near Southside Street Tree Program in partnership with the Wachovia Foundation and the City of Fort Worth.

The first phase planting of 35 trees in 2009 was also assisted by a group of students in TCU’s Neeley Fellows program, with the students identifying and vetting potential planting sites.  FWSI has worked with the City to plant trees each year since the program began, with a total of over 75 trees now planted, making a visible difference throughout the district.  A generous grant from the Wachovia Foundation provides funding for watering to get the trees established.