Ennis area residents have a chance to celebrate Texas Arbor Day and learn about native plants and wildlife during the 4th annual Shade Ennis Event hosted by Keep Ennis Beautiful and the Ennis Parks and Recreation Department.
Time and location
Saturday, November 8, 2025
9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Rogers and Maise Park
900 E Martin Luther King Dr, Ennis, TX 75119
The day’s activities
During the event, six themed activity will take place with the help of volunteers from the Indian Trail Master Naturalist and the Trinity Blackland Urban Forestry Council along with parks department staff, says Mary Ruth with the Ennis Department of Parks and Recreation.
“We have a native seed swap that will be happening where people can bring their own seeds or take a packet of our seeds. We’re also going to be teaching people how to prune and mulch properly. We’re actually going to do a small tree planting demo to kind of help give a visual on the proper planting of a tree. And then we’re going to be doing tree identification and native tree seed collecting, how you collect those seeds, how you discover which seeds are viable, which seeds need to be stored over winter, or which seeds can be planted directly in the ground now. Then we’re going to do a bird feeder with pine cones, peanut butter, and bird seeds, and we’re also making native [wildflower] seed balls with the kids,” Mary says.
Activities for all ages
Mary says the event is intended for participants of all ages. Children and adults can take part in the wildflower seed ball making session and the pine cone bird feeder lesson, and older participants may enjoy the tree planting and pruning demonstration.
“In my mind there is no age limit on who could do what, because it is an educational platform,” Mary says. “I think that anybody can take something away from the demonstrations, adult or child.”
Ruth says she hopes the event helps more people learn how to recognize the types of native plants that they’ll encounter in the local terrain and develop an appreciation for the roles they play in providing ecosystem services that we all rely on, from flood water mitigation and pest control to enhancing our lives through qualities as simple as the beautiful colors of the seasonal wildflower displays in nature.
“So I’m just hoping people will take away appreciation for the love of our native species here in Texas, and how important trees are,” she says.
About Texas Arbor Day
Unlike National Arbor Day that takes place in the spring and follows the recommended tree planting schedule of the northern states, Texas Arbor Day is recognized as the first Friday in November during the mid-autumn prime time for planting out trees in Texas, when trees can grow roots and become established months in advance of the intense summer heat.
Ennis is a Tree City
Mary says that Ennis gained recognition by the National Arbor Day Foundation as a Tree City in the organization’s Tree City U.S.A. program. The more than 3,500 cities that have gained the status demonstrate a commitment to native flora and fauna through programs that protect established trees and promote awareness among residents of the value of a healthy tree canopy.
“This will be our third year as a Tree City,” Mary says. “And we also were awarded the tree growth designation last year, and that was in partnership with our Ennis High School Horticulture Department. We started a tree grow one-on-one operation with the Ennis High School Horticulture Department where we are teaching young people how to collect native seeds, how to test for viability, which seeds get stored over winter, which seeds can be planted directly in the ground now. And we’ve already established 100 plus trees from just last year’s effort.”