The City’s free tree giveaway program, Community Canopy, returns at midnight, Sunday, May 3 with contactless registration and delivery, allowing residents in the city limits to safely receive a free tree during the coronavirus pandemic while helping to expand the urban canopy and reducing energy bills. In partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, the City will provide 125 trees to residents at no cost.

Starting at the stroke of midnight yesterday, Sunday, May 3 (transitioning into early Monday morning), City residents can reserve their free trees at www.ArborDay.org/Sarasota. Please note: Access to the website became available at midnight on Sunday, May 3. On the website, residents can use a calculator tool to estimate the annual energy savings from planting a tree in the most strategic location on their property. Participants are expected to care for the tree and plant it in the location specified by the online tool.

Four species of native trees sourced from Florida will be offered: Bald Cypress, Dahoon holly, Little Gem Magnolia and Sweetbay Magnolia. One tree per household can be reserved during the giveaway. Each tree will be delivered to City of Sarasota residents in a one-gallon container.

“Our world has changed in recent months, but one thing that has not changed is that we still need trees to ensure our community is greener and healthier for generations to come,” said Sustainability Manager Stevie Freeman-Montes. “For social distancing, contactless delivery will be used. The sapling will be left at the resident’s home and it will not be necessary to interact with the delivery person.”

Since 2017, a total of 1,004 trees have been planted through the Community Canopy program, boosting the urban canopy, cleaning air and removing pollutants, filtering stormwater and helping with climate mitigation and adaptation efforts.

The program is funded by the City’s tree replacement fund, which collects a portion of tree removal permit dollars to be used for urban canopy protection programs.

Reserve your free tree online.