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In 2014, Spruce Up Austin established the Tree Trek running along the eastern edge of East Side Lake. Ten years later, the group celebrated the milestone of a decade with the planting of crimson spire oak.

Now called the Mike Ruzek Tree Trek in honor of the man who has dedicated so much time to the planting of trees in Austin, there are 100 trees as part of the Tree Trek and acts as an educational tour for those visiting the trek. 

“I think this is going to be a wonderful asset to the community,” Ruzek said Thursday after a brief ceremony. “I’ve learned more about trees in the last 10 years than I did in the first 25 years.”

The initial establishment of the Tree Trek, part of a program through the University of Minnesota Community Forestry Program, was completed in honor of Spruce Up Austin’s 25th anniversary in September of 2014.

One of several Tree Treks in the state of Minnesota, Austin represents the largest and takes visitors on a tour of the trees, each with its own tag and QR code, which are being updated by master gardener Don Smith.

At each tree of the trek people can learn more about the tree planted there with the hope that maybe some of those people may take ideas away from this and plant their own.

“It’s a resource for the community,” said current SUA President Caitlin Olson who added that a program also exists for people to establish memorials through the program. “It’s just beauty. We are a Tree City. We have to embrace that. It’s our identity.”

At the same time, Ruzek credited the work of the University of Minnesota program that helped establish the Tree Trek as well as those that have volunteered time and resources.

“The University of Minnesota Community Forestry Program has been a vital part of this,” he said. “And our donors. It’s a complement to the work we had done previously in the 25 years before.”

The initial planting of trees included 40 varieties, but has since blossomed. At the time of taht first planting, SUA had planted over 2,600 trees over the first 25 years of the organization, a number that continues to grow to this day.

“There’s always room to grow and expand,” Olson said. “But we have to maintain what we have. Let the trees grow.”

“We can develop as we see fit in the future, however, people see it in the future,” Olson continued, adding that she even envisions a garden-like area as a possible addition somewhere down the line.

In the near future, however, SUA will continue work on the Tree Trek, updating its brochure and renumbering the trees in the current layout.

For more information on Tree Trek and the activities of Spruce Up Austin, visit: https://www.spruceupaustin.org/