Two thousand free trees available for RI residents to save energy, fight climate change
PROVIDENCE − Rhode Island residents can once again get free trees as part of a program to save energy and lower utility bills, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management announced.
Two thousand trees will be available, but people who want them have to register starting Friday, the DEM said. The program is offered twice a year, and the trees usually go fast.
“Planting trees in our neighborhoods makes them greener and provides shade to keep people cooler and healthier in hot weather," DEM Director Terry Gray said in the announcement. "These are investments in our communities and the quality of life throughout Rhode Island, particularly in our cities."
"From an environmental perspective, planting a tree in the right place can improve air quality, capture and store carbon, and help manage stormwater runoff," Gray said. "It's a terrific way for Rhode Islanders to reduce their energy costs today and in the years to come, and a tangible way to stand up to climate change."
Some species will be available for pickup; others can be mailed.
What trees can you get for free?
The following species will be available for pickup:
Paw paw
Tree lilac
Kousa dogwood
Princeton elm
Bald cypress
Tulip tree.
These species can be mailed:
White flowering dogwood
Eastern redbud
River birch
Pin oak
Sycamore
Sugar maple
Black cherry
More: Now is a good time to prune fruit trees | Henry Homeyer
In giving away the trees, the DEM is partnering with The Rhode Island Nursery and Landscape Association, and the Arbor Day Foundation.
Register for a tree at www.arborday.org/RIDEM.
For online registration assistance, contact the Arbor Day Foundation at 1-855-234-3801.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Free trees available for RI residents
