Urban Green Initiative is a Houston-based nonprofit reimagining how cities grow by turning underused land into thriving, native forests. Using the Miyawaki method—an approach that plants diverse species densely to accelerate natural succession—the organization creates self-sustaining ecosystems in just a few years. Their work addresses some of Houston’s most pressing challenges: extreme urban heat, chronic flooding, biodiversity loss, and the abundance of vacant or underutilized land. By transforming spaces like retention ponds, schoolyards, roadside corridors, and empty lots, Urban Green Initiative is building a network of “living infrastructure” that cools neighborhoods, captures stormwater, and restores habitat for wildlife. At the heart of each project is community. Volunteer planting days bring together residents, schools, and local organizations to take part in building something lasting. With a bold vision to plant over 1,000 acres of native urban forest across Greater Houston by 2035, Urban Green Initiative is helping shape a greener, more resilient future for the city.