Grammy winner gives back to help trees

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Jason Mraz is a musician on a mission -- a mulching mission.

The Grammy-winning singer made a stop in Austin on Friday for a good cause. Mraz helped place mulch around drought-ravaged trees as part of the campaign he calls "Tree Is A Four-Letter Word."

It's all in effort to support green organizations across the country -- and here in Texas.

"I really don't feel complete when a tour is over and (I) really haven't done anything in communities other then sing some songs," he said as he worked under the hot Austin sun. "So this tour we're gong to step further out to get our hands dirty."

The drought that started last year year is still haunting Central Texas. Trees all around the area are clinging onto life as a result. Laying down mulch helps keep 30 percent of soil moisture in the ground. That's critical to a trees survival.

The Texas Forrest Service reports that Texas lost 5.6 million trees to the drought That's why dozens of Austinites showed up at RBJ Tower near Lady Bird Lake and Interstate 35, an assistant living home for low-income seniors, to help mulch.

With little relief from the drought in sight, the Austin Parks and Recreation Department said mulching is the best thing you can do right now for your trees.

"You want to keep the rule of thumb in mind, " said Angela Hanson of the parks department. "You want to only mulch at thumbs depth, you want to keep the mulch a thumbs distance away from the trunk of the tree."