Welcome to the
Boulevard Oaks Civic Association
Web Page

Boulevard Oaks is considered by some to be one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in America.  In 1987, the New York Times described South Boulevard as the "most magnificent residential street in America." The most important factor in this beauty, as the Times article suggests, is the neighborhood's most prized possession, its street trees.  The very fabric of this urban neighborhood results from the street trees which form geometric architectural patterns, yielding a feeling which is always urban, but giving a mood of calm, civility, grace and quietness.

"Street trees" are the trees of a coordinated species which line the streets in the "parkway" or "tree lawn" area between the sidewalk and the street.  In 1983, the project Trees for Boulevard Oaks began when residents mapped existing street trees and identified the locations where additional street trees were needed.  It was determined that a total of 2,300 street trees were required to create a perfect pattern, of which 1,200 were in place and 1,100 -needed to be planted.  By 1997,
885 of these trees have been planted and it is the objective of the project to plant the remaining 215 street trees by the turn of the century.

When the project is completed, Boulevard Oaks hopes to possess the most outstanding arboretum of street trees on the North American continent.  The plan is as follows:
 

Live oaks on Bissonnet, Vassar, Mandell, Dunlavy, Shepherd and Greenbriar.

Live oaks on South Blvd. east of Shepherd / white oaks west of Shepherd.

Water oaks on Bartlett.

Live oaks on North Blvd. east of Wilton / water oaks from Wilton to Shepherd / oaks on west of Shepherd.

Live oaks on Milford east of Dunlavy / water oaks west of Dunfavy.

Overcup oaks on Banks.

Willow oaks on Woodhead south of Banks / live oaks north of Banks.

Live oaks on the west side of Hazard / water oaks on the east side.

Boulevard Oaks residents can help the project along in several ways:

• Respond with a generous tax-deductible contribution each year to the tree fund solicitation.
• If the specified street trees are not in place in the parkway in front of your home, plant them by way of a tax-deductible contribution.
• Keep other plant material out of the parkway / shrubs and plants rob the street trees of the water and nutrients which they need, and diminish the visual effect of the street trees.
• Don't cut down a street tree without written permission from the Parks Director.  It's a criminal offense and you may be prosecuted.
• Do not kill the beautiful old street trees.  Sidewalk, driveway, building, fighting, irrigation and almost any the type of construction is almost guaranteed to kill the older street trees.
• If you have any questions, need advice before embarking on a project, or have a dead or sick tree, please call 713 528-BOCA (528-2622).