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ROWLETT RETREET
December 8th-11th, 2016

The evening of December 26th, 2015, a massive EF4 tornado struck Rowlett, TX, a city located barely 15 miles from our headquarters. It was 1 of 9 tornadoes that tore through the suburbs of Dallas that night. The path of destruction through Rowlett was 1/2 mile wide and 4 miles long, with 1,145 homes and business damaged, 23 people injured, and 1 life lost.

When news of the disaster reached our community, we immediately knew we would be heavily involved in the recovery process. We held a meeting with our friends Texas Trees Foundation in early 2016 and set about building a powerful cadre of partners to tackle the massive project, one we knew would take years to complete. After perfecting our model over the past 5 years across North America, we were ready to bring its power home to help our neighbors.

THE TORNADO DAMAGE TO ROWLETT, TX, WAS IMMENSE

Keep Rowlett Beautiful and City of Rowlett immediately came on board and began opening doors for us on the ground, connecting us to residents and other sources of local support. The Home Depot Foundation and Team Depot again stepped up, not only giving $16,000 in financial support for the purchase of trees and supplies, but also committing to provide 30 employee volunteers to dig holes with us on planting day. Over the next nine months, Reliant Energy, LUSH Cosmetics, KIND Snacks, EY (Ernst & Young), Richardson Bike Mart, Whole Foods Market, Earth Day Texas, The Great Seed Bomb, Preservation Tree Services, ONCOR, Atmos Energy, United Methodist Disaster Response - North Texas, and Church in the City all joined our coalition.

With so many offers of help, our focus widened to include development of a robust series of programs meant to highlight some of North Texas' best elements. A truly unique week began to take shape. ROWLETT RETREET was in the works.

THE HOME DEPOT CONTINUES TO BE AN INCREDIBLE PARTNER

RETREETers began to arrive in Dallas on Wednesday, December 7th, from as far away as California, New York, and Mexico City. Our good friend Ron Finley, The Gangsta Gardener, also flew in for the week. That day, we visited Bonton Farms, Paul Quinn College, and McCarty & Maathai Community Garden — all urban gardening initiatives that inspire us!

Whole Foods Market - Lakewood also held a 5% Giving Day, during which they donated 5% of the day's net sales in support of our local operations. We set up a promo booth near the entrance and shared our story with every customer who stopped by to check out our shirts and prints. It was an excellent event that generated nearly $5,000 for the cause and added quite a few names to our email list.

5% GIVING DAY AT WHOLE FOODS MARKET - LAKEWOOD

Thursday, the 8th, RETREETers delivered trees and mulch to home sites in Rowlett with the help of Texas Trees Foundation and Preservation Tree Services. Over 230 trees reached their final planting locations that morning, awaiting the attention of skilled volunteers.

Following that distribution, our staff headed back to Dallas to host a screening of "Can You Dig This" at The Texas Theatre. The film, hosted in partnership with Earth Day Texas as part of the TEDxSMU Film Series, showcases Mr. Finley's work to educate and empower residents of South Central LA to plant their own food. Over 200 people attended, and lots of great questions were asked during a Q&A with Mr. Finley following the screening. It was a memorable evening that introduced a lot of new people to our community.

A CROWD GATHERS AT THE TEXAS THEATER FOR OUR SCREENING OF "CAN  YOU DIG THIS" WITH RON FINLEY

The next day, Friday, the 9th, RETREETers went on a bicycle tour of Dallas led by Richardson Bike Mart, who also loaned us extra bicycles from their esteemed fleet. We visited White Rock Lake, The Santa Fe Trail, Deep Ellum, Downtown, and Dealey Plaza. Though it was a bit cold outside, we had a great time rolling around on two wheels.

After dropping off tools and other supplies at Church in the City, our staging location in Rowlett, and stopping at a local resident's home for an interview with ABC news, we made our way over to Mudhen Meat and Greens, a farm-to-table restaurant located in the newly renovated Dallas Farmers Market. There, we held our official welcome dinner. 

ON OUR BICYCLE TOUR OF DALLAS

Planting day arrived! An incredible group of 200 volunteers braved the cold to gather on Saturday morning, the 10th, in Rowlett, ready to transform neighborhoods. The mayor of Rowlett and several city council members addressed the assembled crowd, as did our executive director and the director of operations for Texas Trees Foundation. The excitement was palpable. After posing for a group photo, 15 teams were formed. Each team was given a planting demonstration on the ground of the church, then sent to a list of homes. All told, 245 trees, all 15-gallons in size, were planted at 134 locations in 5 hours.

THE ROWLETT RETREET PLANTING GROUP

Not only did volunteers come out for ROWLETT RETREET en masse, so did the press! Every major news channel ran a full story about our effort. We were honored to receive such coverage. The stories ran all weekend and even spread to other markets around Texas.

ABC

NBC

CBS

Dallas Observer

Saturday night, we held a celebratory dinner at The Urban Cloud, our new live/work compound in Southeast Dallas. Food was prepared by Chef Justin Box of The Cedars Social, who also served us during TREE FEAST last May. Friends and family of RETREETers joined in the fun and festivities lasted well into the evening.

The following morning, we joined The Great Seed Bomb to make and drop 750 seed bombs during a hike through the Lower Chain of Wetlands in The Great Trinity Forest. It was a relaxing way to cap and impactful weekend. Until the next one!

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OKC RETREET II
November 12th+13th, 2016

We began our work in Moore, OK, last year in the response to the devastating EF5 tornado that struck on May 20, 2013. Winds reached up to 210 mph, killing 24 people and injuring 377 others. The aftermath was major international news and our involvement in the recovery was a sure thing, especially given the proximity to our home base in Dallas. Initial contact in Oklahoma was made through Texas A&M Forest Service, with whom we have partnered in Bastrop, Wimberley, and Possum Kingdom Lake, TX. After a year of planning, OKC RETREET took place at the end of Oklahoma Arbor Week in late March 2015, during which 168 trees were planted at 77 home sites with the support of Oklahoma Forestry Services, City of Moore, Arbor Day Foundation, Serve Moore, and The Home Depot Foundation. It was the first step in the transformation of an unfamiliar and barren landscape.

DESTRUCTION FROM THE MAY 2013 TORNADO

At the beginning of this year, the Neighborhood Alliance of Oklahoma contacted us with exciting news: Lions Clubs International had funding available to continue our important work in central Oklahoma and our local partners recommended RETREET for the job. In mid-June, we inked plans for OKC RETREET II - NeighborRoots and began forming our coalition, building upon the previous year's cadre. With this newfound support, we knew OKC RETREET II would be our best event yet.

LIONS CLUB INTERNATIONAL FUNDED OKC RETREET II

Following months of careful planning, RETREET staff arrived in OKC on Monday, November 7th, and set about making final preparations for the planting the following weekend. By that time, OKIE 811 had marked all utility lines at every home and a member of TEAM LOCATE, a coalition of local partners including representatives from Oklahoma Forestry Services and Oklahoma County OSU Cooperative Extension Service, already had visited with each resident and determined the best planting location for every tree.

RETREET STAFF FINALIZING PLANS IN THE NACOK OFFICE

As the weekend drew close, donated supplies began to arrive in support of the project. The Home Depot Foundation delivered mulch, tools, and gloves, Waste Management dropped off a recycling dumpster, KIND Snacks gave boxes of bars, and Richardson Bike Mart loaned bicycles to RETREETers traveling from far and wide. On Thursday, staff from City of Moore delivered the trees, beautiful specimens sourced from Greenstock Nurseries, to homes. The stage was set.

DELIVERING TREES TO HOMES IN SOUTH OKC AND MOORE

RETREETers began planting on Friday, the 11th, in Shawnee, a small community about 40 miles east of OKC. The following day, 78 volunteers representing 7 states gathered in Veterans Memorial Park. There, they were instructed in proper tree planting techniques, after which they practiced planting in the park. Small groups were formed and issued a complement of tools, water, snacks, and lunch. They were then sent to 10 homes sites each. By the end of the day, 215 trees, all 15-gallons in size, had been planted at 175 homes. The planting party celebrated a job well done at Serve Moore Community Renewal Center, where guests were treated to a Persian feast from Chef Daniel Avazpour and the musical stylings of Dirty Little Betty's. A number of locals for whom trees had been planted that day joined the fun.

TEAM DEPOT POSES WITH LOCAL MEMBERS OF LIONS CLUB INTERNATIONAL, OKLAHOMA FORESTRY SERVICES, AND RETREET STAFF

The following day, RETREETers enjoyed a special tour of the grounds of Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum courtesy of Mark Bays from Oklahoma Forestry Services, who had a major hand in both the design of the park and the care of the Survivor Tree. After that, the group geared up for a bicycle ride around Lake Hefner. The perfect finale to an amazing weekend! Check out the PHOTO ALBUM.

RETREETers VISIT THE SURVIVOR TREE

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BOULDER RETREET II
June 3rd-5th, 2016

Lyons, CO, is a community of about 2,000 people 15 miles north of Boulder. In the 1860s, families from the eastern U.S. began settling land that had been home to the Ute Nation. In 1881, Edward S. Lyon founded the town after buying 160 acres and opening a sandstone quarrying operation. Over the years, Lyons grew into a reputable destination for those wishing to spend time in its unforgettable scenery.

On September 12th, 2013, Lyons was severely affected by floodwater that inundated much of the front range, including Jamestown and Evans, the sites of our two previous Colorado RETREETs. The National Guard began evacuating the entire town at daybreak. One life was lost.

Last weekend, 35 volunteers gathered in Lyons to plant 100 trees at 20 homes and in Bohn Park. Their unique contribution to the landscape of that community greatly impacted the residents in a way that will be long remembered, much like their experience of participating in BOULDER RETREET II!

BOULDER RETREET II PLANTING GROUP

RETREETers began to arrive in Denver on Wednesday, June 1st, just in time for the Denver Cruiser Ride. A favorite from last year, the DCR's theme this time around was "The People of Walmart." We did our best to blend. Our group made a lot of new friends at the starting point, Little Machine Brewery, and at the The Dead End, the ceremonial end point which is little more than a cul-de-sac on the other side of the train tracks, under a bridge. A great party ensued.

DENVER CRUISER RIDE

The next morning, trees and supplies began to arrive in Lyons and RETREETers were on site to receive them. The Home Depot delivered mulch, wildlife protection, and tools, all of which they donated through a grant from The Home Depot Foundation. Trees, including Colorado spruce, wavyleaf oak, hotwings maple, and thinleaf alder, were procured from Fort Collins Wholesale Nursery and were purchased with funds granted by both Lyons Lions Club and LUSH Cosmetics. Staff from the Town of Lyons and the Parks Department helped deliver material to home sites with us that day, in anticipation of the planting. The previous week, members of Colorado State Forest Service met with each resident in order to mark appropriate planting locations. By the end of the day, we were set to plant.

SUPPLIES BEING DELIVERED BY THE HOME DEPOT

On Friday, the 3rd, a dozen RETREETers gathered at Full Cycle, a bike shop in downtown Boulder that provided bicycles for folks traveling in from far and wide. Cyclists 4 Community, a partner from last year and a likeminded organization that has raised $200,000 for flood victims to date, then took us on a wonderful guided ride, a loop between Boulder and Lyons. It was an absolutely perfect day, group, and route.

RIDE AROUND BOULDER

All remaining RETREETers arrived in Colorado on Saturday and, once gathered, the assembly headed to The Outdoor Games. Everyone took turns enjoying the festival and manning the RETREET booth, a perfect opportunity to reach out to a highly receptive crowd. Luckily, we set up right in front of the BMX course, which made for some spectacular views. We capped the night with a group dinner at The Mediterranean and a stroll around Boulder. Talk about a taste of Colorado!

THE LYONS OUTDOOR GAMES

Sunday, members of Team Depot joined RETREETers for a demonstration planting in Bohn Park, after which a group planting was held. From there, small groups were formed and sent into neighborhoods, each planting at 5 homes. At the end of the day, the crew enjoyed dinner and drinks at Oskar Blues, in celebration with local residents. The mayor even popped by to say thanks!

DEMONSTRATION PLANTING IN BOHN PARK

Additional operational support for BOULDER RETREET was provided by Virginia Wellington Cabot Foundation, who approved a $10,000 grant in support of BOULDER RETREET II. We offer them our gratitude. We can't wait to come plant trees again in Colorado!

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BASTROP RETREET VI
February 27th+28th, 2016

RETREET was born in Bastrop four years ago. A group of volunteers, most of whom were cyclists, wanted to plant trees for a community that was badly burned by a monthlong wildfire that began September 4th, 2011. Over 34,000 acres and 1,600 homes were scorched. Our first event, which took place January 22nd-24th, 2012, was a massive effort that sparked the creation of RETREET, an organization that now redefines the concept of disaster relief through direct action.

Our sixth RETREET in Bastrop saw the planting of our 4,000th tree. A total of 24 RETREETers traveled in from California, Minnesota, New York, and all across Texas to work. On Sunday, February 28th, 2016, they were joined by 31 local volunteers from H-E-B and The Home Depot, bringing the total count to 55. All told, the group planted 160 trees at 26 homes sites, a beautiful mix of bald cypresses, Texas redbuds, Monterrey oaks, chinquapin oaks, Shumard oaks, and native pecans.

BASTROP RETREET VI PLANTING GROUP

The first trees arrived in Bastrop on Thursday afternoon, February 25th, as did the first RETREETers. The trees were delivered by Tree Life Farms on behalf of Apache Corporation, who donated 100 5-gallon trees to BASTROP RETREET VI as part of their Tree Grant Program. The following morning, a small group of RETREETers accepted the delivery of the second set of trees, an even mix of 15-gallon bald cypresses and Texas redbuds that came from Magnolia Garden Nursery. Those trees were purchased with funds provided to RETREET through LUSH Cosmetics' Charity Pot Program. The Home Depot Foundation granted $6,600 for supplies, most of which were collected after all of the trees were loaded. Thankfully, Bastrop Parks & Recreation staff sent two trucks and trailers to help deliver the trees and planting materials to home sites. Their help made all the difference! Miller Family Automotive also came through in a big way again this year through their contribution of a U-Haul box truck to the delivery fleet.

TREE DELIVERY IN BASTROP

The following morning, Saturday, February 27th, RETREETers began to converge in Bastrop. Over a dozen went for a memorable 25-mile ride through Bastrop and Buescher State Parks, following the path of the MS-150 and conquering a number of challenging hills. The weather was absolutely perfect and smiles ran rampant. Special thanks to our friends at Richardson Bike Mart, who again loaned us a few bicycles from their rental fleet for RETREETers traveling in from other states.

READY TO RIDE

That evening, the group was given an exceptional treat. Richard Linklater, the Oscar-nominated director of Boyhood, invited our entire crew to his home for dinner, drinks, and entertainment. La Cucina di Afrodita whipped up an incredible feast that silenced the crowd and filled every belly with love. The RETREETers planted six trees on site, a token of our thanks for the incredible hospitality of the Linklater family. We look forward to watching them grow alongside all of the other trees we have planted in Bastrop.

DINNER AT THE LINKLATERS WITH LA CUCINA DI AFRODITA

Sunday morning, February 28th, RETREETers and planting day participants met at RETREET HQ, Pecan Street Inn, a location that was paid for through a grant from Felvis Foundation. After an enlightening tree planting demonstration given by Texas A&M Forest Service, small groups were formed and sent to residences to the east of Bastrop State Park, in an area that was burned during both the Bastrop County Complex wildfires and the Hidden Pines Fire. Many of the homes at which we planted were burned after being reconstructed, and many of those belonged to members of the volunteer fire department. The stories of their efforts during the wildfires are truly inspiring and heart-wrenching.

Lunch was provided by H-E-B, and the planters enjoyed a sunny afternoon ride around town following their work. That night, those who remained in town enjoyed hand-tossed pizzas at Neighbor's Kitchen & Yard. It was the perfect end to a fulfilling weekend. We are especially grateful to Felicia Graham for taking so many wonderful photos! Click any of the ones you see to view the complete album. 

PROPER TREE PLANTING TECHNIQUES WITH TEXAS A&M FOREST SERVICE

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BASTROP RETREET V
February 7+8, 2015

Last weekend, 37 RETREETers from 5 different states and 2 foreign countries planted 163 trees at 33 homes in Bastrop, TX, in the wake of the 2011 wildfires, and 21 trees at Dove Springs Recreation Center in Austin, which serves an area severely affected by the Onion Creek Flood of 2013. It was an amazing effort made by a fantastic group of people.

Three weeks leading up to BASTROP RETREET V, we released a promo film that was shot by Shoot First Pictures and edited by FistCloud Productions. A moving piece that deftly showcased our ongoing efforts in Bastrop, it went a bit viral online. Give it a watch!

Aside from planting trees, RETREETers rode bikes, acquired skills, made friends, listened to live music, and enjoyed Texas history over the weekend. In partnership with TreeFolks, we hosted our third annual community event on Saturday night, February 7. Dubbed the MILLION TREE SHINDIG, it commemorated the planting of 1,000,000 pine saplings by TreeFolks and 767 hardwoods by RETREET, to date.

MILLION TREE SHINDIG featured live chainsaw carving by Griffon Ramsey, this year's People's Choice Award Winner, as well as performances by Raina Rose, The Lost Pines, Aunt Ruby's Sweet Jazz Babies, and Trái Bo.

We want to thank all members of The communiTREE who contributed to BASTROP RETREET V, which would not have been possible without their support. These wonderful companies and organizations deserve our collective gratitude.

To the Eugene McDermott Foundation, Felvis Foundation, Texas Urban Forestry Council, and City of Bastrop for their financial support, and ArborGen for sponsoring the trees, THANK YOU!

To Miller Family Automotive & U-Haul for loaning us a truck to make deliveries, Richardson Bike Mart for gifting us bicycle rentals, Bike World for supporting us on the ride to Bastrop, Neighbor's Kitchen & Yard for donating 15% of proceeds from their food sales the night of MILLION TREE SHINDIG, H-E-B for bringing lunch on Sunday, RECOVER for hooking us up in the merchandise department, and all of the RETREETers for giving of yourselves both physically and financially, THANK YOU!

Can't wait to see you all on the next one. OKC RETREET is March 28+29!

View the album of BASTROP RETREET V by clicking the photo below.

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SUNDAY SHOW & TELL
vol.47

Have you ever seen a face in the bark of a tree? One artist took things a bit farther and created an entire gallery of amazing photos using just a few simple tricks. The results are portraits of fantastic, other-worldly creatures.

Take a look at Hovenring, the world's first suspended bicycle roundabout. Located in the Netherlands, it a true architectural beauty. We would love to see more of these pop up around the world.

Philippine officials held a tree planting yesterday that broke the world record for most seedlings sown in an hour. All told, 160,000 people planted 3.2 million trees at 6 different locations on Mindanao island. Guinness is currently verifying the new record, which previously stood at 1.9 million. That record was set in India in 2011.

FACES IN THE TREES (photos)

HOVENRING, THE SUSPENDED BICYCLE ROUNDABOUT (photo essay)

WORLD TREE-PLANTING RECORD BROKEN (article)

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SUNDAY SHOW & TELL
vol.45

It's that time of the year again! North Texas Giving Day is here. There is no better day to make a contribution in support of RETREET's mission: to help communities replant in the wake of disaster. All donations of $25 or more made THIS THURSDAY, September 18th in between 6:00am and midnight will be amplified by $2 million in bonus funds and prizes. Multiply your contribution!

Today, we planted 8 more trees in Evans, CO, in commemoration of the 1-year anniversary of the flood that damaged a significant portion of the town. An extension of our efforts during Fort Collins RETREET II, today's planting marks an almost complete RETREETment of Riverside Parkway. Check out some photos from the event below.

In case you missed it, be sure to watch a video about the amazing Blink Twice video installation at this year's Summer Set Festival in Somerset, WI. 

1ST ANNIVERSARY PLANTING IN EVANS, CO (photos)

BLINK TWICE (video)