The new headquarters—dubbed the Kinder Campus due to a $3 million gift from the Kinder Foundation—will be located in the Oak Forest area at 2001 W. 34th St. Houston, at a site that once served as a rental storage facility. Donors, board members, staff, city and elected officials attended a ground breaking event April 13.
“We are proud to be part of this transformational moment for Trees For Houston as they break ground on a permanent campus," said Nancy Kinder, president and CEO of the Kinder Foundation. "Over the last 40 years, Trees For Houston has built an amazing, highly effective organization. We look forward to watching as this new home further supports their mission of promoting and protecting trees in Houston for years to come.”
The new campus allows Trees for Houston to consolidate its operations into two main tree farms, according to an April 14 press release. The site will also feature an administrative office building, an on-site tree nursery and an education center where programs will be hosted for both children and adults.
Other major donations for the $9 million project came from Kyle and John Kirksey Sr., who contributed $1 million; Chevron, which contributed $750,000; and the Ruth and Ted Bauer Family Foundation, which contributed $500,000.
Trees for Houston has facilitated the planting of more than 600,000 trees since 1983, according to the release. In 2021, the nonprofit planted 11,971 trees in conjunction with community partners—such as the city of Houston and the Memorial Park Conservancy—as well as another 14,029 trees at volunteer plantings across the city.
The new campus will allow for a 20% increase in annual tree distribution in one year. The on-site nursery will also allow community members easier access to trees, replacing an existing system in which pickup times are more limited due to limited access to private tree farms, according to the release.
“Our new Kinder Campus will be a game-changer in so many ways,” said Barry Ward, the nonprofit's executive director, in a statement. “It will allow Trees For Houston to significantly expand our mission to distribute and plant 1 million trees over the next 10 years in support of the Resilient Houston Plan, which recognizes the critical role trees play in making our city a healthier and more beautiful place for all residents."
The campus was designed by Kirksey Architecture and Lauren Griffith Associates and is being built by Forney Construction. Other site features include a cistern to catch rainwater and use it for irrigation.
The development of the campus is slated for completion in the fall, according to the Trees for Houston website.
