Contact: Steve Pustelnyk, Mobility Authority

Telephone: (512) 680-9997

Email: [email protected]

Treefolks Partners with the Mobility Authority and NXP to Plant Trees at Norman Elementary

Community tree planting and beautification event to be held on school grounds in east Austin on Thursday, December 7

(Austin, Texas) – TreeFolks, in partnership with the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (Mobility Authority) and NXP, will host a volunteer tree planting event at Norman Elementary School on Thursday, December 7, as an effort to increase the school’s tree canopy for the benefit of students and the surrounding community.

Volunteers at the event, which runs from 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M., will plant 20 native shade trees on the school grounds. The five- and fifteen-gallon sized trees are all native to Central Texas and will include live oak, huisache, camby oak, and cedar elm.

The tree planting event is made possible by a joint sponsorship by the Mobility Authority and NXP which funded the installation of an irrigation system at the school. Watering is often the primary barrier to planting near schools, and this system will keep the newly-planted trees watered throughout the school year and our hot Texas summers. The school did not previously have a tree watering system in place so the new irrigation system will greatly increase the trees’ chances of survival.

TreeFolks is proud to team up with longtime supporter the Mobility Authority to enhance this local schoolyard. Since 2014, the Mobility Authority has been the presenting sponsor of TreeFolks’ community tree planting and education programs. We are excited to partner for the first time with NXP.

“We are excited to continue supporting the meaningful work of TreeFolks,” said Steve Pustelnyk, Director of Community Relations for the Mobility Authority. “As an agency focused on sustainability in transportation, preserving and expanding our urban tree canopy is a priority for all our projects. We are proud to help bring the TreeFolks vision to life while enabling greater exposure to natural greenspaces for local youth.”

“We were pleased to get the request to collaborate on this event since we have partnered with Norman Elementary School for almost a decade through their Adopt a School campaign,” said Grant McEwan, Vice President of Operations, Austin Technology & Manufacturing Center (ATMC), NXP Semiconductor. “Donating our employees’ time and efforts is very gratifying to NXP employees at ATMC, and we are happy to be a part of helping our community and the environment.”

TreeFolks welcomes volunteers of all ages and abilities to the tree planting event. Volunteer supervisors will work with small groups of volunteers to provide guidance and ensure quality during planting, while providing an educational experience.  Mobility Authority and NXP volunteers will join TreeFolks volunteers and community members in beautifying the school grounds.

WHO: TreeFolks, the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority, NXP, Austin Independent School District, community surrounding Norman Elementary

WHAT: Tree Planting at Norman Elementary School

WHEN: Thursday, December 7 from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

WHERE: Norman Elementary School, 4001 Tannehill Lane, Austin, TX, 78721

WHY: To strengthen the urban tree canopy at Norman Elementary for the benefit of students and the surrounding community

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About the Mobility Authority

The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority is a local, independent government agency created in 2002 to improve the regional transportation system in Travis and Williamson Counties. The Mobility Authority implements innovative and sustainable transportation options to enhance quality of life and economic vitality in Central Texas. The Mobility Authority operates 183A Toll in Williamson County, 290 Toll in east Austin, the 71 Toll Lane in east Austin, and the MoPac Express Lane. The agency is also finishing construction of the eight-mile 183 South Project in east Austin, and constructing the four-mile SH 45SW toll road between FM 1626 and MoPac in southern Travis and northern Hays counties. For more information about the Mobility Authority, visit www.MobilityAuthority.com.