Trees for Houston Honors Barbara Quattro

Alief community activist and International Management District committee member Barbara Quattro was recognized Thursday, May 31 by Trees for Houston at its annual Arbor Awards event. The Arbor Awards honor individuals, corporations and organizations who have made exceptional contributions within the last year to help make Houston a greener city.

Quattro, who serves on IMD’s Community Development Committee, is also the chair of the Alief Super Neighborhood Chair. She was instrumental in the development of a community garden and 600-tree farm in Alief, and was given an Arbor Award for these endeavors.

It was a doubly-special occasion for Quattro, who also learned earlier the same day that the Alief Community Orchard had won third place in a competition sponsored by Dreyer’s Fruit Bars with more than 27,000 votes.

The Dreyer’s Communities Take Root winners receive an orchard donated by the frozen treat company. Quattro said that an existing space for the new orchard has already been designated north of the existing one. She added that Dreyer’s will be sending a horticulturist to survey the site and make recommendations on what should be planted.

Other winners in the Trees for Houston Arbor Awards included the Greater Northside Management District for its esplanade beautification efforts, Legacy Community Health Services for preserving older trees on the site of a new building, LyondellBassell for creating a tree farm, and real estate developer Carol Isaak Barden for using wood from trees felled by Hurricane Ike in new construction.