Through support from H-E-B, EarthShare Texas hosts the Green Leaders Fellowship annually: a program designed to cultivate emerging environmental professionals through hands-on experience, strategic mentorship, and mission-driven placements across the state.
This blog series highlights the work of our 2025 Fellows, showcasing the research, storytelling, and advocacy they contributed to their individual host organizations. From policy analysis to community engagement, each fellow brought a unique lens to the environmental challenges facing Texas today.
Fellow Spotlight: Cristen Andrews
Host Organization: TreeFolks
Focus Area: Native Tree Education & Grower Training
Cristen Andrews is a writer, educator, and content creator with a degree in photojournalism and a background in educational writing, internet marketing, and community engagement. As a grower, herbalist, and permaculture gardener, she also runs a small business, called Small Town Farm that consists of a plant nursery, and herb farm—where she teaches classes that connect people with nature.
Cristen joined TreeFolks to support their Seeds to Trees Native Nursery, a new initiative responding to Central Texas’s critical shortage of native trees. The nursery was designed to grow key species for reforestation and serve as a “nursery of nurseries,” sharing knowledge with local growers. Cristen’s unique blend of skills made her the perfect fit to document nursery processes and build foundational resources for a future grower training program.
Documenting the Seed-to-Tree Pipeline
Cristen’s fellowship focused on capturing the full lifecycle of native tree cultivation—from seed collection to sapling care—and translating that knowledge into accessible, educator-ready materials.
Here’s a look at a few initiatives she worked on:
- Seed Collection Flyer Cristen created outreach materials to support TreeFolks’ partnership with Central Texas Seed Savers, helping volunteers learn tree ID and seed-saving techniques.
- Nursery SOP Document Cristen developed a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) guide detailing internal nursery processes—from soil mixing and seed inventory to sapling care. Designed in Google Docs, the SOP is a living document TreeFolks can update as their systems evolve.
- Multimedia Documentation Cristen photographed and filmed key nursery tasks, organizing the media into folders for easy access. She also produced narrated videos to explain complex steps clearly.
- Growing Guide & Curriculum Cristen authored a 20-page PDF titled Growing Native Texas Trees, collaborated on the nursery’s new webpage, and outlined a curriculum for training future growers—complete with recommendations for onboarding and expansion.
Key Deliverables Included:
- Seed Collection Flyer for volunteer outreach
- SOP document for nursery operations
- Photo and video documentation of cultivation processes
- Growing Native Texas Trees guide (20 pages)
- Curriculum outline for grower training
- Recommendations for future onboarding
- Contributions to the live nursery webpage
Milestones Completed:
- Attended volunteer days and documented nursery workflows
- Created multimedia assets for internal and external use
- Authored foundational training materials for future growers
- Collaborated with TreeFolks staff on digital and print resources
Recommendations from Cristen for Environmental Educators:
- Make it visual. Photos and videos help demystify complex processes.
- Keep it flexible. Living documents and modular guides allow for growth.
- Root it in practice. Hands-on learning builds confidence and connection.
This blog post is the fourth in a series from EarthShare Texas dedicated to highlighting our 2025 Green Leaders Fellows. Read the first three spotlights here:
- Molly on Climate Storytelling and Digital Media
- Kimberley on Creative Outreach and Environmental Education
- Aly on Climate Education and Native Plant Advocacy
To learn more about the Green Leaders Fellowship, visit earthsharetexas.org/greenleaders.
