The Tree Bank Foundation

Project List! Click on a title for more information or scroll down.

Campus Trees Shade Trees on Playgrounds Apache Foundation Tree Planting Project OCU Native Arboretum Chesapeake Energy Tree Planting Program Beauty and the Priaire, or Native Plantings at I-35 and Covell Rd.

Project Highlights!

Campus Trees (click for more info)

The Campus Trees Program of The Tree Bank Foundation brings trees and education to Oklahoma campuses. The purpose of the Campus Trees Program is to provide quality, Oklahoma-grown trees to college and university campuses to assist with replanting after recent storms, to provide environmental benefits to campuses, and to increase educational opportunities for students. Universities have benefited from the program by reducing heating and cooling costs, channeling foot traffic through open spaces, and increasing the quality and quantity of hands-on study. 2011’s participating campuses were Oklahoma City University and Oklahoma State University.

Shade Trees on Playgrounds (click for more info)

Shade Trees on Playgrounds (STOP), a new project of the Tree Bank Foundation, is helping lead the fight against skin cancer in Oklahoma. STOP provides trees to shade playgrounds, ballfields and play areas, offering cool, shady spots out of the sun for children and their families. Oklahoma’s high level of skin cancer continues to rise, and the need for creative approaches to education and reducing risk, like STOP, will also rise. With eleven new locations this year, STOP shows the power of citizen advocacy and how far a good idea can go with a child-, health- and tree-focused approach.

Apache Foundation Tree Planting Project (click for more info)

The Apache Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Apache Corporation located in Houston, Texas, began partnering with the Tree Bank Foundation in 2008 to support its commitment to environmentally responsible projects. The Apache Foundation Tree Planting Program has distributed over 114,000 trees to Oklahoma residents and communities through the Tree Bank Foundation. This program has resulted in more trees being planted than any other program in Tree Bank history.

OCU Native Arboretum

The Tree Bank Foundation’s partnership with Oklahoma City University grew by many trees this year. The Tree Bank Foundation planted a Native Tree Arboretum of Oklahoma trees from across the state at Oklahoma City University in 2011, creating a showcase of native trees on the campus. Through the generosity of The Tree Bank Foundation and private donors, OCU’s east side of campus has new shade and opportunities for study.

     • 40 trees, 5-8 feet tall, that are native to Oklahoma and were grown in Oklahoma
     • Located north of Meinders’ School of Business
     • Design goal was to interplant with the existing pecan grove
     • Trees are labeled with information specific to each species

Educational opportunities:
     • Native tree discovery, identification and study
     • Oklahoma native trees that are not common in Oklahoma City
     • Revitalization of the existing pecan grove
     • Tree preservation demonstration project

Project funding:
     • The Tree Bank Foundation and private supporters of urban forestry provided all of the funds for the project
     • Total Environment Wholesale Nursery offered discounted, oversized trees

The Tree Bank Foundation did not receive any financial compensation from these donations. All of the donated funds were used to purchase trees, project supplies, and materials and to hire professionals to assist with the program.

Trees planted at the Oklahoma City University Native Arboretum include: blackgum, bald cypress, American elm, cedar elm, winged elm, canaertii juniper, bur oak, shumard oak, water oak, loblolly pine, and redbud.

Chesapeake Energy Tree Planting Program

Chesapeake Energy, a leading producer of natural gas continues its strong corporate commitment to Oklahoma by joining forces with The Tree Bank Foundation in 2010 to begin the Chesapeake Energy Tree Planting Program. Chesapeake’s commitment to environmental stewardship has made them a major partner in Tree Bank projects.

2010
     • 2,000 trees donated
     • Kingfisher, Enid and El Reno – cities with Chesapeake field offices
     • 3-gallon sized trees

Chesapeake staff/volunteers assisted with distribution and had a chance to give back to the towns that house their offices.

2011
In 2011, Chesapeake became a major contributor in the Campus Trees and Shade Trees On Playgrounds projects.
     • Campus Trees plants trees on Oklahoma college and university campuses for education,
          environmental benefits, and beautification.
     • The Shade Trees On Playgrounds (STOP)Program raises awareness of skin cancer and
          combats it by planting trees around playgrounds and ballfields.
     • 220 large trees (5-8 foot tall) and shrubs
     • Portable irrigation devices
     • 13 plantings in eight communities

Through these generous, on-going contributions, the Chesapeake Energy Tree Planting Program has been a great success, and the Tree Bank Foundation did not receive any financial compensation from these donations. All of the donated funds were used to purchase trees, project supplies, and materials and to hire professional foresters to assist with the program.

Thank you Chesapeake Energy!

Beauty and the Prairie, or Native Plantings at I-35 and Covell Rd.

Rome wasn’t built in a day and so it goes for the continued development of our native plantings project along the exit ramp I-35 and Covell. Our vision was for this bare hillside and surrounding area to transition over the years to a sustainable wildflower and native grass through funding from the Tree Bank Foundation, City of Edmond and the Edmond Parks Foundation.

Timing is everything… along with the appropriate preparation of the site prior to seeding. Bermuda grass was treated to reduce the risk to the wildflower plantings and topsoil was added. The irrigation was expanded by the City of Edmond. Along with the strategic placement of native boulders, 17 native trees were donated by the Apache Foundation and added along the top of the hill. Native grasses have been seeded, including Indian Grass, Blue Grama, Little Bluegrass, Squirrel Tail, Indian Rice Grass.

Wildflowers will be seeded in the fall to insure effective germination and seed production for the following season. Varieties were selected for adaptability to that specific area, continued color and will include Rudbeckia, Plains and Lanceleaf Coreopsis, Penstemon, Cosmos, Primrose, Horsemint, Yarrow, Liatris, Purple Prairie Clover, Drummond Phlox, Coneflower, Poppies, Gaillardia, Indian Paintbrush and more…

It is our hopes for a spectacular display in the future so that we may continue this sustainable project in many areas of Oklahoma City and Edmond. Remember, it is a work in progress and takes a few years to establish a good stand! Be patient, it will be worth it for years to come!

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