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McAllen ISD awarded $2.7 million Texas A&M Forest Service grant to create seven schoolyard forests
Summary
McAllen ISD announced a $2.7 million grant from the Texas A&M Forest Service to establish schoolyard forests at seven elementary campuses, aiming to expand canopy cover, create outdoor classrooms and support energy conservation.
McAllen ISD announced Tuesday that it received $2.7 million from the Texas A&M Forest Service to build ‘‘tiny’’ schoolyard forests at seven elementary campuses.
The grant will fund schoolyard forest projects at Alvarez Elementary, Fields Elementary, Houston Elementary, Jackson Elementary, Rosebelt Elementary, Seguin Elementary and Wilson Elementary, district officials said during the Feb. 11 board meeting. Dr. Gutierrez presented the item during the superintendent’s report.
District administrators and partner organizations said the project will create outdoor science classrooms, increase tree canopy and provide community greenspace. A district presentation said the Forest Service’s grant aims to boost canopy at target schools from current levels (reported in the presentation as roughly 5–9 percent at some campuses) toward a 30 percent canopy target. The district said the grant will be implemented over a three-year timeline that includes site assessments, landscape architect planning, student and community engagement in design, and phased planting.
A representative for a national nonprofit partner described the project as part of a broader movement to transform school grounds into learning environments and noted research linking outdoor time and tree cover to improved student outcomes. The district added that trees planted strategically near buildings can support energy conservation; the presentation cited potential energy savings "up to 25 percent" when trees provide shade to building facades.
Superintendent/Deputy Superintendent Dr. Gutierrez framed the grant as a community resource, noting the sites will be available for neighborhood use as well as for instruction. No formal board action on the grant award was required during the meeting; the announcement was presented as information.
District staff said they have already met with each of the seven campuses and the landscape architect, and that students, teachers and neighbors will be invited to participate in the design process. Implementation milestones and detailed budgets were not specified in the board presentation.
The board packet included a short video and slides highlighting the program and partner roles; staff said they will return with implementation schedules and site plans as work progresses.
