Cities thrive when trees are part of their story. Trees transform urban spaces into vibrant, healthier, safer, and more resilient communities. They cool our neighborhoods, clean the air, nurture biodiversity, and create spaces where people and wildlife can flourish together.
In partnership with the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC), the SCA’s Urban Green Program in Houston works alongside local nonprofits, agencies and community groups through the ForUsTree Initiative to increase equitable access to trees and the benefits they provide for neighborhoods, improving land, air, and water quality, and promoting food security, community health and well-being.
The ForUsTree Internship Program connects passionate young leaders with hands-on opportunities in urban forestry, conservation and environmental education. These hands-on experiences equip participants with in-demand skills needed to become the next generation of conservation leaders, such as learning to use Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping and data analysis technology to present data visually.
SCA Houston Community Engagement and Environmental Education Intern Cateri Dixon with the HARC H3AT Mapping Campaign Story Map. Photo Credit: Danielle Villasana.
“I definitely learned what my resilience was as an individual. When I was first presented with creating maps and doing data analysis, I was reluctant and nervous that I wouldn’t be able to work at the level I needed to,” said Cateri Dixon, Houston Community Engagement and Environmental Education Intern. “The more I worked with the program and asked for help and advice, the more confident I became. I now know that just because something is hard doesn’t mean I can’t do it.”
Through the SCA, Dixon spent her internship with HARC assisting with community engagement and outreach activities and contributing to the H3AT Mapping Campaign, a community science urban heat island mapping campaign.
In addition to Dixon, three other ForUsTree interns worked on various projects with partner organizations, ranging from urban forestry data and analysis to supporting tree planting efforts in neighborhoods and school campuses through the SCA’s Native Fruit Tree Planting Program.
“It’s very fulfilling to be involved in the work that’s going on. It can feel like no one listens or cares, but being in this field makes you realize how many people care and are doing this work,” said Dixon, 24, who graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in Ranchland Ecology and Management. “I would not have guessed these opportunities were available before joining the SCA. I would love to stay in the environmental education space, working with volunteers, young people, and even everyday professionals.”
SCA Intern Cateri Dixon holds up a phone displaying a heat map of the landscape. Photo Credit: Danielle Villasana.
The H3AT campaign Dixon assisted with is the country’s largest single-day, community-led heat mapping effort, which identified areas in Houston where temperatures soared well above the city’s average, increasing the risk of heat-related illnesses such as dehydration and heat stroke. More than 150 volunteers collected temperature and humidity data that provides critical insights into the urban heat island effect and will inform solutions to mitigate extreme heat in vulnerable communities.
“The ForUsTree initiative and H3AT Mapping Campaign thrive on collaboration, and our partnership with the Student Conservation Association is a perfect example of that,” said Dr. Stephanie Piper, HARC’s Research Associate in Community Development and Resilience. “Through this partnership, we had the opportunity to work with Cateri Dixon, an incredibly dedicated SCA intern, whose work supported post-campaign data analysis and helped bring the H3AT Mapping Campaign to life through our online Story-Map. Her contributions helped us communicate the impact of urban heat more clearly and meaningfully, advancing our shared mission to create a cooler, more equitable Houston.”
Valeria De Jesus Casas, SCA Senior Program Manager for Texas, prepares to plant a young tree. Photo Credit: Danielle Villasana.
Through its Urban Green Program, the SCA began fielding conservation programs across Houston in the early 2000s. Since then, hundreds have participated in SCA programs. These young people walked away knowing how to serve their communities through conservation service work while gaining a strong connection to the outdoors through environmental education.
“I’m incredibly proud of the ForUsTree Internship Program in partnership with HARC. These young leaders are doing more than planting trees — they’re helping build a greener, more resilient Houston,” said Valeria De Jesus Casas, SCA Senior Program Manager for Texas. “By engaging directly with local residents, improving neighborhood canopy, and gaining hands-on conservation and outreach skills, our interns are growing the future of Houston’s green workforce. Their dedication is already making a visible difference across the city.”
