20+ Free Tree Giveaways Across NYC This Spring

It’s free tree season. The New York Restoration Project (NYRP) on Monday announced plans to dole out 3,500 trees across the city during its annual tree giveaway. Registration is now open to receive a free tree during 20+ events starting April 13 through May 12.

NYRP will be giving away 30 different native tree species, including American Persimmon, American Plum, Beach Plum, Black Cherry, Eastern Redbud, Elderberry, Fragrant Sumac, Pagoda Dogwood, Red Maple, Sweetbay Magnolia, and more. A full list of tree species can be found here.

NYRP began hosting tree giveaways in 2008 as part of MillionTreesNYC, an initiative led in partnership with the city’s Parks Department that concluded in 2015. Since then, NYRP has continued its giveaway program and will have distributed more than 75,000 trees in total at the end of this season.

The giveaways help contribute to NYC’s environmental resilience by expanding its canopy and providing shade, creating habitat for wildlife, reducing temperatures, improving air quality, and mitigating storm water run-off.

Partners and locations for the giveaway events are as follows:

“New York Restoration Project is thrilled to reach our 75,000th free tree milestone this season,” Lynn Bodnar Kelly, executive director of NYRP, said. “This beloved program continues to spread the undeniable benefits of our urban tree canopy to the neighborhoods that need them most. Our city must get more trees in the ground if we want to truly increase New York’s environmental resilience.”

Those interested in getting a free tree must register in advance here.


20+ free tree giveaways to take place across NYC this spring

By Aaron Ginsburg

March 4, 2024

All images courtesy of New York Restoration Project