New Lakewood Tree Giveaway Program Offers Residents Free Trees

By Rita Stevens and Matt Bixenstine

Calling Lakewood residents: We need your help in growing our city’s tree canopy coverage by 10 percent in the next 11 years.

The City of Lakewood and its Tree Advisory and Education Board, in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation Community Canopy Program, seek to partner with YOU on an exciting new Tree Giveaway Program whereby residents are eligible to receive a beautiful, native tree for planting at home free-of-charge. 100 trees in total will be given away this spring.

In less than 10 minutes, you can reserve your free tree (limit one per resident) by visiting www.arborday.org/lakewoodoh and selecting a shade or ornamental species that fits your yard. Each tree has been grown in 3 to 5 gallon-sized containers with heights up to 6 feet, a size which allows for easy transport and planting while still making an immediate impact in your landscape.

Species currently available through the Lakewood Tree Giveaway Program include:

• Redbud – A fast-growing ornamental tree with pink flowers in the spring and large, heart-shaped leaves that change to golden yellow in the fall
• Red Chokecherry – A fruit-producing ornamental tree with fragrant white flowers in the spring and a medium growth rate
• Tuliptree – A large, fast-growing canopy tree featuring a broad pyramidal shape, big flowers, and small seeds that attract cardinals
• Swamp White Oak – A large, disease-resistant member of the oak family with a medium growth rate that produces acorns

A Tree Giveaway Pickup event will be held on Saturday, April 27, from 10 am until noon at Bernice Pyke Park (1320 Belle Avenue in Downtown Lakewood), during which tree planting demonstrations will take place.

Trees are a vital part of our community, improving our quality of life in many ways. Trees clean our air and water, cool our environment, reduce flooding, lower energy costs, increase property values and provide habitats for nature. Lakewood’s legacy as a longtime ‘Tree City USA’ serves as a source of community pride, but we need your help to replenish our aging tree canopy.

The Lakewood Tree Giveaway Program takes place this spring while supplies last. All orders are subject to approval and must be at a Lakewood, Ohio address. Thank you for helping to grow our city’s tree canopy!