ANNAPOLIS, MD – The City of Annapolis is partnering with the Arbor Day Foundation to offer free trees to homeowners to help expand the urban tree canopy. Residents who would like to request their free trees (maximum two free trees) can make a reservation online at get.arborday.org/annapolis. This is a pickup event and reserved trees will be available for pickup at the Kenneth R. Dunn Municipal Pool in Truxtun Park on Saturday November 8 from 10am - 12pm.
The types of trees offered include the following:
- River Birch. This tree, native to the Eastern United States, is a deciduous flowering tree with cinnamon-brown, exfoliating bark and yellow fall foliage. These trees can grow to 50 to 75 feet in height.
- American Linden. Also known as basswood, this is a large deciduous tree known for its fragrant flowers and broad, heart-shaped leaves. These trees can grow 60 to 100 feet in maturity with a rounded, dense crown that provides ample shade.
- Northern Red Oak. The red oak is a fast-growing tree known for its distinctive leaves and large acorn, providing food for wildlife. This is a pollution-tolerant species that is widely planted in urban areas. A mature Red Oak can grow to 50 to 75 feet with a spread of 40 to 75 feet with a lifespan of 150 to 500 years.
- American Hornbeam. This is a small, slow-growing tree known as blue-beech, ironwood, or musclewood, due to its smooth gray bark. A mature specimen will grow to 20 to 35 feet.
- White Fringetree. A slow-growing tree known for its showing white “fringy” flowers in late spring and blue-black fruits in summer. A mature fringe tree will grow to 12 to 20 feet in height and width.
The City’s Urban Forester, Brian Adams, worked with the Arbor Day Foundation to implement the free tree giveaway. He said the urban tree canopy, the layer of leaves, branches and stems of trees that cover the ground when viewed from above, plays an important role in our battle against climate change by intercepting and filtering increased precipitation, reducing our energy consumption and cooling the air.
“Planting trees on private property, along with robust public parks and greenspaces , creates a thriving tree canopy,” said Brian Adams, City of Annapolis Urban Forester. “That’s why it’s essential that local organizations engage homeowners to help plant more trees in their community.”
The Arbor Day Foundation is the world’s largest membership nonprofit dedicated to planting trees. The Foundation offers companies, cities, states, and nonprofit organizations an easy solution to providing trees to customers, employees, or their community.
About the Arbor Day Foundation: Founded in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation is the world’s largest membership nonprofit organization dedicated to planting trees. With a focus in communities and forests of greatest need, the Foundation — alongside its more than 1 million members, supporters and valued partners — has helped to plant nearly 500 million trees in more than 50 countries. Guided by its mission to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees, the Arbor Day Foundation is committed to unlocking the power of trees to help solve critical issues facing people and the planet. Learn more about the impact of the Arbor Day Foundation at arborday.org.
