Growing the tree canopy in greater San Antonio

The San Antonio region has seen a dwindling tree canopy due to urban encroachment and the region’s temperature extremes. On March 8, 2025, Microsoft and American Forests teamed up with Bexar Branches Alliance, Friends of Castroville Regional Park, and the City of Castroville for a tree planting event to bring new life and greenery to Castroville Regional Park.

Coming together to care for the trees

The Castroville event brought together community members and local Microsoft datacenter employees to plant 188 trees in the regional park, a green space of 126 wooded acres on the Medina River. These trees, such as the Texas redbud and Texas fall elm, will provide shade along the walking trails and soccer fields and improve air quality, contributing to the overall well-being of the Castroville community.

The event not only highlighted the importance of reforestation but also fostered a sense of community and collaboration. Becky Schwartz, American Forests’ Director of Urban Forestry Innovation, noted: “We have a long history of collaborating with local stakeholders to be sure trees are planted where they are most needed and that held true in the case of the small but mighty Castroville community. I’m sure we will see the effects of this planting event for years to come as the trees planted in March grow and mature.”

Restoring healthy and resilient urban forests

The tree planting event at Castroville Regional Park is part of a broader effort by American Forests and Microsoft to create healthy and resilient urban forests in communities across the United States through Tree Equity partnerships. The projects span the entire model of urban forestry, from partnership building and climate vulnerability assessments to job training and park maintenance. American Forests and Microsoft work with community members and local organizations to develop projects that meet the needs of the particular region.

In addition to the Castroville tree planting event, American Forests and Microsoft joined forces with San Antonio community organizations on other forest restoration projects that raise awareness about environmental stewardship.

• Youth tree equity outreach: Joining forces with Bexar Branches Alliance and American Youthworks, American Forests and Microsoft embarked on an initiative to plant trees in a San Antonio school district. This partnership supported planting 242 trees at two local schools as part of Project CANOPY. In addition to planting trees, this program offers an environmental science curriculum for participating students so they can provide after-planting tree care and monitoring.
• Urban farming: Many parts of San Antonio are designated food deserts, lacking access to affordable produce. With funding from Microsoft, American Forests collaborated with San Antonio College’s Eco Centro program to plant 60 fruit and shade trees that support opportunities for community involvement, education, resources, and fresh produce. Eco Centro continues to work with the community to support post-planting care for the trees.

Together, these projects are helping American Forests realize its holistic vision for creating healthy and resilient urban ecosystems by engaging community members as environmental stewards.