By Joe Veyera
Less than one week remains for Seattle residents to apply for up to four free street trees, as part of the City of Seattle’s Trees for Neighborhoods program.
Wednesday, August 27 is the deadline for applicants to apply for a white oak (above right), silver linden, tulip tree, or black tupelo (below) for your planting strip. Since 2009, Seattle residents have planted over 4,000 trees in yards and along streets through the program (the application for yard trees is open until October).
Along with the trees, participants in the program also receive a watering bag for each tree, training on proper planting and care of the trees, assistance on applying for street tree planting permits, and ongoing care reminders and workshop opportunities for skills such as pruning.
Those considering applying for a tree or trees are asked to evaluate their properties for available planting space, read the planting considerations page to learn more about this year’s program details and what you should consider before selecting a tree, and to carefully read each tree description, paying special attention to the information regarding height and spread at maturity (whether the tree would have enough room to thrive in the coming decades).
For more information on the program, click here, or call 206-615-1668, or e-mail treesforneigbhoods@seattle.gov.
(Photos courtesy of Katie Gibbons)
