City offers free trees for residents

The city of Sarasota is giving away 250 trees to residents for free — and you can sign up for one now while supplies last.

The city launched its latest tree giveaway today in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation. Residents can reserve one free tree by registering on the Arbor Day Foundation website, which also provides guidance on where participants should plant the tree.

The city is offering contactless delivery, stating in a release that the trees will be delivered to residents’ homes in a one-gallon container. Residents can choose from one of four native Florida tree species: red maple, bald cypress, live oak or sweetbay magnolia.

The giveaway is part of the city’s Community Canopy program, through which the city has planted more than 1,100 trees since 2017, according to the release. The city funds the program through its tree replacement fund. In the release, the city touted the benefits of a robust urban tree canopy.

“Not only do trees help clean our air and water and reduce the effects of climate change, but they’ve also been proven to help reduce stress and improve mental health,” city Sustainability Program Educator Jeff Vredenburg said in the release.