Recently, the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley took part in a nationwide contest open to colleges and universities that received the 2014 Tree Campus USA designation by the Arbor Day Foundation. The UTRGV Office of Sustainability collaborated with Proyecto Azteca to submit Proyecto Azteca’s very own Lynchburg Estates as the community project to receive a tree along with a tree care kit if proclaimed the winner of the competition. Lynchburg Estates is the first neighborhood south of Austin of comprised of all Silver-LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) homes and is located in Edcouch, Texas.

 

Between the dates of November 9th and 13th UTRGV students, staff, faculty and the community voted online daily and on the 13th of November UTRGV was announced to be the large-school category winner of the Service Learning Contest.

 

On December 9th families in Lynchburg gathered for a meeting and presentation with UTRGV and decided on the Hong-Kong Orchid to be planted in their neighborhood.

 

On Saturday, January 16, 2016 the UTRGV Office of Sustainability, Proyecto Azteca and volunteers gathered in Edcouch at Proyecto Azteca’s Lynchburg Estates neighborhood to plant the trees, educate residents and their children on the importance of planting and maintaining trees and enjoyed a wonderful day of giving back to the community. Residents took great pride into planting the trees.