Park People 50th Anniversary to be Commemorated
City-wide, Community Tree Planting
FREE TREE APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE JAN. 1
Park People 50th Anniversary to be Commemorated with City-wide, Community Tree Planting Campaign
DENVER, CO – Denver nonprofit The Park People is offering free and reduced-cost trees for Denver’s citizens through its annual Denver Digs Trees program. Street trees – those planted in the public right of way – are free to all Denver residents, yard trees are offered at a very low cost, and homeowners may apply for multiple trees.
Applications are available Jan. 1-Feb. 15, 2019. The tree distribution and sale is on Arbor Day, April 27, 2019.
“This year’s annual Denver Digs Trees Arbor Day tree sale is even more significant, because The Park People will be celebrating our 50th anniversary,†says The Park People’s Program Manager Leah Jean Shafer. “While the traditional 50th anniversary gift is gold, Denver homeowners will be turning their gold into wood and planting a tree or two to help us celebrate.â€
Street trees are free for all Denver residents. Yard trees are $10 for those living in targeted neighborhoods, and $35 for homeowners in the rest of the city. The typical retail cost of a tree is approximately $125, making Denver Digs Trees an affordable, easy way for residents to contribute to the health and beauty of their yards and the entire city. Denver Digs Trees is the only program offering trees for private property, and fees are waived for those who are experiencing financial hardship. Free tree delivery and planting support also is offered for those with physical limitations.
Shafer says a tree planted a half century ago, when The Park People was established, has already spent decades providing oxygen, improving air quality, conserving water, shading neighborhoods, supporting wildlife, and more. With proper care, it could provide this value for generations to come.
Denver Digs Trees 2019
“If you plant a tree this year, imagine what a difference your tree will make in its next 50 years of life,†she adds.
The nonprofit receives numerous positive reports from happy tree owners.
In a recent survey, a homeowner who purchased trees almost a quarter century ago wrote, “It’s 24 years later, and they’re healthy and tall, adding shade in the summer and color in the fall.â€
Another past Denver Digs Trees participant wrote, “I love that small improvements I make today can have enormous impacts decades from now.â€
Trees available on a first come, first served basis include:
• Bur Oak
• Western Hackberry
• Redmond American Linden
• Cleveland Select Flowering Pear
• Autumn Gold Gingko, which hasn’t been available at recent sales. It is known by the nickname living fossil, because the Ginkgo Biloba is one of the world’s oldest living tree species. It was around 350 million years ago!
• Shademaster Honeylocust
• Tulip Poplar
• Prairie Fire Crabapple
• Eastern Redbud
• Patriot Elm
• Fort McNair Red Horsechestnut, which has gorgeous spring flowers. It was the first to sell out last year.
To complete an application or get more information, visit www.TheParkPeople.org, text ‘TREE’ to 797979, or call 303-722-6262 for a paper application.
Denver Digs Trees is sponsored by Xcel Energy Foundation, Denver Parks and Recreation, MDC/Richmond American Homes Foundation, Hank & Cheryl Saipe, Colorado Garden Foundation, OZ Architecture, and Colorado 811.
The Park People is dedicated to preserving, enhancing and advocating for Denver’s parks, recreation resources, open space, and urban forest. Through the Denver Digs Trees program, The Park People has added more than 51,000 trees to Denver’s skyline.
