Crews begin preparation work to relocate Kyle tree named 'Jolene'
AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A tree that is widely considered an "asset and historical treasure" is being carefully prepped by crews this week in the city of Kyle with a goal to keep it healthy before it is relocated from Old Stagecoach Road in Kyle come fall.
The city said on social media that the treatment for the tree, also known as "Jolene" by the Kyle community, is to ensure it stays healthy before its relocation. According to the city, Jolene will relocate to "a quarter mile north of its current location and adjacent to the Six Creeks Subdivision," according to the city's 2022 road bonds website.
This comes after the Kyle City Council voted 6-1 in February to relocate the tree to preserve the wood from the tree for an art project, with the intention of "realigning the Old Stagecoach Road Project around the tree," according to the 2022 road bonds.
The community in Kyle told city leaders the 400-year-old tree should be saved, rather than just removed, KXAN reported in December 2024.
The future of the tree has long been a topic for the city since 2020, when staff began evaluating roadway improvements" that voters approved in the 2022 road bonds, according to the city.
In the December 2024 meeting, the city council was presented with five options, which included removing the tree, transporting the tree, or removing the tree and installing a historical marker or art installation to commemorate Jolene. The city council didn't make a decision on the fate of Jolene until February.
"The new location will become a “parklet”, or pocket park, to protect the live oak, selected for both its proximity to the tree’s current location and its matching soil profile," the city said.
The city said Thursday that prep work being done before its relocation includes the following:
- Root pruning using specialized air tools
- Soil cultivation, composting and fertilization
- Regular water and moisture management
- Potholing to check underground conditions
- Canopy pruning to reduce stress
- Pest management treatments
According to the city, Jolene will be relocated 90 days prior to the Old Stagecoach Road improvements, with planned construction to begin in March 2026.
Once the relocation for Jolene happens in the fall, the city said post-relocation care will happen from fall 2025 to fall 2027.