2013 | Waterboxx Pilot Program
Friends of Brentwood Park first learned about Groasis Waterboxx plant cocoon from Steven Zettner and his local organization called Sustainable Neighborhoods in the early 2010s. Steven led several tree planting initiatives along Burnet Road north of Keonig Lane, and on Keonig Lane between Burnet Road and Lamar Boulevard. His mission was to make these roads more walkable by providing shade along sidewalks and at bus stops.
FOBP leaders who volunteered with Steven and SN wondered if the Waterboxx could help build the tree canopy at Brentwood Park without relying on Parks and Recreation Department resources and city water. A planting project application was submitted to Austin Parks Foundation and was approved, though they were skeptical of the effectiveness and had concerns about the interference they would cause to city maintenance crews.
Waterboxxes do several things to nurture young trees. First, the five-gallon cocoon offers a protective barrier to the young sapling and keeps it from getting trampled, mowed, or pulled out of the ground. The wick transfers water from the container to the ground area nearest the sapling, which provides just enough water to keep the sapling alive. Needing more water, the young tree sends its roots downward and this helps to establish a healthy root system faster. The black internal liner helps to minimize water evaporation while the concave lid directs condensation and rain down into the basin via the two small tubes. If needed, the round cap can be removed to refill the water, though our pilot program revealed that no additional water refills were needed, even though the summertime. After two years of growth, the Waterboxxes were removed while tree branches were still pliable. The final photo below shows the shorter trees with their Waterboxxes removed.
Randy Wilson, with the FOBP team, led the planting of 22 saplings on Brentwood Elementary property at the southern boundary of the park, and in the north section of the park in the open area between the playground and the crushed granite trail. A mixture of tree species saplings were donated by TreeFolks. Waterboxxes were purchased with existing FOBP funds and averaged about $30 each.
The Waterboxx pilot program ran through the spring of 2016 and was a huge success! During that two-year time span, only two Waterboxxes suffered mower damage and needed to be replaced. All parts of the Waterboxx are durable enough to be reused numerous times to get new trees off to a quick and vibrant start.
Emily Wilson prepared a pdf summary of the pilot program to share with APF. We were extremely pleased to demonstrate that Waterboxx plant cocoons are an easy and economical solution for park adoptee group who wish to populate an area with many trees at once. TreeFolks is using them en masse to plant trees in the Jacob’s Well Natural Area, and the Waterboxx is being used around the world to reforest deserts and improve farming in climate challenged areas. Try one in your yard!
