NEIGHBORHOOD STREET TREE PLANTINGS
Does your street or neighborhood need more trees?
You can work with us to organize your own Neighborhood Street Tree Planting! This program is the main way we get new street trees planted in Providence. Here’s how it works:
Each Spring & Fall, residents, business owners, or community members can apply as a group to receive free street trees in their neighborhood in exchange for helping to plant and take care of the young trees alongside their neighbors.
PNPP IS COMMITTED TO CREATING AN EQUITABLE URBAN FOREST IN PROVIDENCE. WE ENCOURAGE AND PRIORITIZE APPLICATIONS FROM NEIGHBORHOODS WITH THE LOWEST TREE CANOPY COVER: Elmwood, Federal Hill, Lower South Providence, Manton, Olneyville, Reservoir, Silver Lake, Smith Hill, Upper South Providence, Valley, Washington Park, West End.
(Read more about Tree Equity and where we do and don’t have trees in our city HERE!)
To organize a planting, someone acts as the “Tree Leader.” The Tree Leader then:
- Completes a Neighborhood Planting Proposal form (HERE)
- Communicates with PNPP staff & neighbors to sign up tree-recipients & develop the planting site list
- Helps coordinate the logistics of the planting day
- Checks in on the health & survival of trees after planting day
Each participant (a tenant or property owner)
who signs up to receive a free tree, commits to:
- Join their neighbors on planting day to plant all the trees together
- Water their trees for the first 2 growing seasons
You are not alone: PNPP provides training & guidance for all Tree Leaders and planting participants!
DEADLINES
Planting Proposals can be submitted at any time during the year, but to be considered for the upcoming planting season:
- Proposals for Spring Plantings (in April) are due in DECEMBER
- Proposals for Fall Plantings (in October) are due in JUNE
Want to connect to existing Tree Leaders in your neighborhood?
Many neighborhoods already have active PNPP Tree Leaders! If you’re not ready to organize a planting yourself but want get involved, we are happy to put you in touch with them to find out about planting efforts in your neighborhood, or match you up with a Tree Leader “mentor” 🙂 Reach out to us at info@pnpp.org or (401) 368-5380!
(You can also fill out THIS FORM and we’ll let you know if there happens to be a planting happening nearby that you can get added on to.)
Other Ways to Get Trees:
City Match-Cost Planting
Residents or property owners can also get street trees by splitting the cost of installation with the City. These plantings happen during either the Spring or Fall tree planting season.
City Plant-it-Yourself Permit
You may also apply for a free permit from the City Forester to plant your own street tree. The City Forester will show you where to plant and send you a permit along with planting and requirements. The City Forester will advise on species selection and can offer suggestions of reliable local tree nurseries.
Both of these options are coordinated through the Forestry Division of the Parks Department.
Questions? Call the Parks Department Forestry Division at 401-680-7254.
Free Tree Giveaways With RIDEM
Each Spring & Fall, RI Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) partners with Arbor Day Foundation for the Energy Saving Trees giveaway program. These trees are FREE and can be planted wherever you choose on your property!
Note: These are private yard trees, not street trees.
