Member Spotlight

Name:   Vincent Debrock

City:  Austin-San Marcos, TX

Affiliation:  Principal, Heritage Tree Care, LLC; President, Texas Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture

Briefly describe your ongoing efforts/interest in ecological restoration.  Our company focuses on tree preservation and restoration in central Texas, mostly in urban settings, but not exclusively.  We are involved in the San Marcos river habitat restoration plan, for the riparian section.  We are also currently helping the City of Austin restoring soil in root zones of the Zilker Park trees, between events like ACL.  We learned quickly that looking at a tree as an individual was not a sustainable approach even for urban trees, so we started focusing on looking at an ecosystem approach of tree care.  This meant we had to learn to look at soil and water and have learned to value the link between watersheds and trees.  We have come to treat urban individual trees are part of the urban forest and a key to healthy watersheds.  As part of this approach, management of invasive species as well as urban soil restoration have become a staple of our services. 

Briefly describe if, and how, climate change has affected your work.  Climate change is influencing our species choice.  We started introducing species from further south in our consulting, planting and growing programs. For example, the Quercus gravesii (Graves Red Oak) from the Big Bend area, or the Quercus laceyi (Lacey Oak or Texas Blue Oak) have become some of our new staple selections. We also stress root stock quality and seed sourcing: an escarpment live oak performs much better than a coastal live oak if irrigation is not permanent. 

Describe your favorite outdoor activity.  Tree hunting and climbing.   Editors Note:  When we asked Vincent for details of his tree hunting, his response was, "...seeking specific species, for multiple reasons, whether it is just for the "cool" factor of a tree, its sheer size, its rarity, etc...There is a champion tree program that keeps foresters and arborists hunting.  Each species has its own champion, and that competition happens all the way to a national level. Foresters fight for the bragging rights of having the champion in their backyard!"

What is your favorite Texas plant and/or animal?   Quercus laceyi or Lacey Oak.

2016 Report released to commemorate the Centennial of the First Migratory Bird Treaty. Article from TNC with link at the bottom to download full report.

To read the article and download report, click State of North American Birds

From the Texas Living Water Project, interactive maps to determine how big cities score.

For more information, click Water Conservation Scorecard

3.  iBat - Bat Conservation Trust & Institute of Zoology (UK)

International bat monitoring program.   For more information, click ibats

4.  Bat Conservation International - New study of bat sounds

Click here for - Bat Sounds.

Upcoming Events

1.  2016 Society for Wetland Scientists Annual Meeting

Theme:  Protecting Wetland Ecosystem Services.  Promoting Stronger Economies

Event Dates:  May 31 - June 4, 2016

Location:  American Bank Center, Corpus Christi

For more information, click the link:   SWS Annual Meeting