Texas Plantings by Highways Are On Their Own

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is planting 10,000 trees in 1,000 days in the in San Antonio area, a $3.6 million initiative begun in February 2005 that should finish in November. It is part of the Green Ribbon Landscape Improvement Program mandated by the state in 2001. "The goal is to get the plantings to take care of themselves," TxDOT Landscape Architect Chris Chambers told the Express News. Live oaks, cedar elms and Texas mountain laurel are among the species.