2011 was a tough year for Texas. Record hitting heat and drought had gripped the state, and no rain had fallen for several months. In September of that year one of the worst wildfires occurred in Bastrop, Texas. 30,000 acres and 600 homes were destroyed. The area is well known for its beautiful pine forests and the fire affected 96 percent of Bastrop State Park.

This year, for the first time the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department initiated a program to plant pine seedlings into the area and sent out a call to the local public to assist in the project.

So on Sunday (January 13th) we went out there to join 70 volunteers to help plant trees. We were all given hardhats since there was a danger of burned and dying trees falling in the stiff breeze. It was a brisk 41 degrees and everyone was pretty cold.

So armed with hardhats, sacks of tree saplings and a steel pole we were sent on our way to designated areas that were the most affected. Areas where the fire had burned so hot that even the pine seeds were sterilized.

Come on grow little sapling! You can do it!

Each sapling planted was marked with a little pink flag and after the day was done, all you could see were miles and miles of pink flags. This will allow TPWD to monitor the survival and growth rate of the saplings since this is one of the first of such endeavors.

1,913 trees saplings were planted that day and many more days have been organized for people to come out and plant. Hopefully we have some rain to help these little guys make it so that in 30 years we will have a strong, healthy young forest to enjoy.