Albuquerque resident Stephanie Quoshena was pleasantly surprised when she heard her doorbell ring on April 15 and found a flyer at her doorstep promoting a tree-planting initiative.
“I called immediately," Quoshena said.
According to KOB 4, volunteers from the south Los Altos neighborhood were working to plant trees to create a greener city future, one tree at a time. Quoshena and her husband decided to take advantage of this opportunity and helped plant two new trees that same day.
She was thrilled to see so many people participate. Trees are essential, and they had to cut down a pine tree in their yard last year.
"It’s been great to see all the people that are willing to participate because we need our trees," Quoshena said.
David Simon, Director of Parks and Recreation in Albuquerque, said the goal is to plant 100,000 trees over the next decade.
“What we’re doing now is a huge investment in the future of our city, and there’s a great saying that like when is the best time to plant a tree?" Simon said. "The answer is yesterday, but the second-best time to plant a tree is today."
He encourages people to plant trees as soon as possible, noting it's an investment in the city's future. Simon noted the city is already at 20% of the overall goal. On April 15, another 100 trees were added to the count.
"There are perks to planting trees, not only beautifying the city," Simon said.
In addition to an aesthetically pleasing city, planting trees can also save residents money by receiving a rebate or discount on water bills.
“If you plant a tree in your yard, and it’s on the list of qualified trees, you can submit the paperwork to the Water Utility Authority, and you’ll get a rebate or a discount on your water bill," Simon said
Quoshena is eligible for this “treebate" and looks forward to seeing her new trees grow and complement the community.
The initiative, called "Let’s Plant ABQ," is hosting a free tree giveaway near Hawthorne Elementary School on Saturday. More information can be found at https://letsplantabq.org/.