Austin Community Trees Project

The Austin Community Tree (ACT) program is a neighborhood tree planting program that focuses on reducing the Urban Heat Island effect by planting more trees on private property. The addition of trees can cool daytime temperatures in neighborhoods. The ACT program is offered free to eligible neighborhoods and is a partnership among neighborhoods, the Planning and Development Review Department, Parks and Recreation Department and Austin Energy.

ACT offers between 8 and 10 different species of large shade and small understory trees. Trees can be planted on private property and not in a designated public right of way. This program seeks to encourage biodiversity through a varied tree palate, and stresses the importance of planting the right tree in the right place (i.e. small, understory trees are planted near utility lines). This year the ACT program will be offering trees in North Austin