Tree your neighborhood

 

Build community and canopy

TreesCharlotte partners with qualifying neighborhoods, schools, houses of faith, athletic associations and other non-profit organizations to host tree-planting and tree-giveaway events called NeighborWoods. These organized events can be a great way to build camaraderie, beautify our community and add to the city’s canopy.

Ideal applicants will have:

  • 55 percent or less tree canopy coverage (as determined by the 2012 tree canopy assessment)
  • Ability to plant and/or give away at least 15 trees during the event
  • Leadership excited to work with TreesCharlotte

If your NeighborWoods application is approved, TreesCharlotte will help you create an amazing day with our NeighborWoods Toolkit!

Note: Applications for the 2021-22 season are closed. We are now accepting applications for the 2022-23 season.

NeighborWoods options

Tree planting event

Do you have common spaces in your neighborhood where you’d love to see some beautiful trees? Or maybe your school, house of faith or other non-profit space needs more canopy or flowering trees? A TreesCharlotte tree planting event could be the solution for you!

If you’re approved for a tree planting, we’ll work with you to ensure the right trees go in the right places. We’ll work with you months in advance on a planting plan and enlisting volunteers for the event. On the actual planting day, we’ll provide the trees, mulch and equipment as well as TreeMasters to lead volunteers on how to properly plant the trees. In less than 2 hours, you’ll have created a beautiful urban forest!

Please note: We cannot provide trees required by the city of Charlotte under the tree ordinance. We are, however, happy to work with non-profit entities on trees that go above and beyond what is legally required. 

Tree giveaway

If your community applies for a tree giveaway (which can happen in addition to a planting), we’ll bring trees for residents to plant on their private properties. We’ll work with you months in advance on the marketing and registration process. On the day of the giveaway, our TreeMasters will lead all recipients on a short tree planting and maintenance clinic. All tree recipients are expected to sign a pledge to care for the trees after planting. Tree giveaways are often 1 hour or shorter.

Our trees

We love our trees, and we think you will, too!

Our trees are sourced from three different N.C. growers and are either native or known to thrive in this region.

We offer small , medium and large maturing varieties. We’ll work with you on appropriate species for your organization’s needs.

The trees are 3-4 years old, potted in 7-gallon containers and are about 6 to 10 feet tall at planting.

Cost

Free trees: Neighborhoods where the median home value is $182,000 or less will qualify for free trees, as determined by home sales data detailed in the Charlotte/Mecklenburg Quality of Life Explorer.

$10 trees: Neighborhoods between $182,000-$500,000 will be asked to donate $10/tree.

$20 trees: Neighborhoods over the $500,000 median value will be asked to donate $20/tree.

Who qualifies?

Neighborhoods: If your neighborhood is in the city limits of Charlotte, it’s a candidate. Often a NeighborWoods event begins with a resident who is passionate about trees. TreesCharlotte will work with that person on how to rally neighborhood buy-in. In cases where there’s an HOA, we suggest an HOA board member also serve as a contact. Before a date is set for your event, we require HOA board approval.

Schools: We love working with all schools, whether they’re private, charter, CMS or other!  If there’s a school you would like us to consider, please fill out the form below and we’ll be in touch.

Other organizations: One of our primary areas of focus is planting trees in underserved communities. In the past, we’ve partnered with Renaissance West Community Initiative to plant trees, created a community fruit orchard at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church and planted 150 trees for the Steele Creek Athletic Association. If you’re a part of a non-profit that needs trees, we would love to work with you. Just fill out the interest form.

For-profit organization: If you are a for-profit business that would like to host a TreeStore or have us help you plant your campus, please reach out directly to Jen@TreesCharlotte.org.

Watering and care

In most cases, once a neighborhood/non-profit/etc. receives TreesCharlotte trees, it is responsible for the trees’ long-term care. Trees need about 5 gallons of water/week, and during hot, dry months that will require intentional watering. Please keep this potential cost in mind when applying to our NeighborWoods program. TreesCharlotte can recommend a watering professional to provide you a quote.

Is your community under-canopied but needs less than 15 trees?

We suggest you and some of your neighbors attend one of our free community TreeStores, which we hold multiple times during the planting season.

Are you looking for trees just for your yard?

If you are interested in adding trees to only your property, we also encourage you to check out our Yard Tree options, which are intended for individual residents.

What happens once you’re approved?

Once you apply, we will be in touch to talk more about the program and to schedule a meeting with your HOA board/organization’s leadership team. If all parties agree to move forward, we will then tour your community and draw up a planting plan and create a planting list. To ensure your TreeDay is a success, we strongly suggest you use our NeighborWoods Toolkit.

Questions?

Email TreesCharlotte at .

 

NeighborWoods Application

  • Name of neighborhood/school/house of faith/non-profit.
  • If you're applying for a neighborhood, is it comprised of (check all that apply) ...
  • NOTE: If you are looking for trees ONLY for your personal property, please take a look at our TreeStores, where Charlotte residents can take home two free trees!
  • Please share any other details about your goals that you think we should know.
  • Are you part of your HOA or organizational leadership? Please describe your role in your organization. If not, we ask that you enlist a leader in your organization as a partner. (This is not required to fill out this form, but will be required if we move forward on your application.)
  • Are you interested in other neighborhood improvements, such as signage, a playground, speed humps, etc? Specify here.
  • TreesCharlotte is always willing to speak to your leadership board or general membership about our mission. Please let us know if you have any upcoming meetings that you may want us to attend.

 

Benefits of Neighborhood Plantings

Neighborhoods projects help communities by:

  • Improving property values
    Studies show that property values of homes with trees are 5% to 20% higher than similar properties without trees. Source: Arbor Day Foundation

  • Beautification
    Trees provided through NeighborWoods are 6 to 10 feet tall, providing instant beautification and inspiration for additional curb appeal improvements.

  • Cooling urban areas
    Shade provided by trees has a direct cooling effect on the air temperature for nearby sidewalks, roads, houses and parks.

  • Improving air quality
    High temperatures escalate the production of smog and other pollutants. Trees help by reducing the air temperature through shading and carbon monoxide absorption.

  • Reducing traffic speeds
    Tree-lined roads provide a sense of enclosure, which causes motorists to drive more slowly and carefully.

  • Energy conservation
    By producing shade, trees help conserve energy as they intercept radiant heat.

  • Noise reduction
    Trees and shrubs are effective buffers in screening out urban noise.

  • Wildlife habitat
    Trees provide critical habitat for birds and diverse wildlife in the urban area.

 

 

Praise for TreesCharlotte

  • Kevin Sudimack
    "Where did all those trees come from?"  That was the response so many of our students gave as they arrived on campus Monday morning!  Thank you to TreesCharlotte, The Charlotte Observer and the countless volunteers that made this a reality.  Because of you, the impact on this campus and this community will last for the next 100 years!"

    Kevin Sudimack
    Kennedy Middle School
  • Carter Pittman
    "I wanted to drop you a note to tell you what a great success the TreesCharlotte event was at Stone Creek Ranch. All the preplanning and the teamwork displayed created an environment conducive to success plus we had a lot of fun doing it. Your team did a fantastic job in making sure we secured the trees requested and the coordination with the actual planting of the trees was flawless. Best of luck to you and your team at all future events."

    Carter Pittman
    IBM Storage Systems
  • Stan Patterson
    "As a recipient of two trees at Sedgefield Elementary I want to commend you and the staff for a well organized and informative event. Everything including registration, a description of the trees, the instruction of proper tree planting and overall assistance was first rate. I manage a couple of non-profits and know how much time and attention is required to properly orchestrate public events. You guys did a great job."

    Stan Patterson
    Colonial Village
  • Heather Ruckterstuhl
    "We are so grateful for the two Maple trees that TreesCharlotte donated to Park Road Montessori. Our school naturalist, Charlotte Fletcher, planted these two trees with the assistance of some of our older students. We planted these trees together outside of two of our classrooms, near our lunchtime picnic tables. Our students, teachers and parents will enjoy watching these trees grow and become part of our daily space. We value our outdoor area and classroom gardens, the maple trees just add so much to our space. Thank you for providing this treasured gift to our school."
    Heather Ruckterstuhl
    Park Road Public Montessori Elementary School
  • Ann
    "Winget Park Elementary has some new additions, thanks to the school’s Nature Club and TreesCharlotte. Despite the wet weather this past Saturday, 75 volunteers came out and planted 153 trees on the school campus."

    Ann
    Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
  • Charles Breitbart
    "Thanks to each of you for all that you are doing for Charlotte and Park Ridge community! Residents of our neighborhood to include my family, came out to the event this past Saturday to pick up trees. This is a  beautiful time of the year and we all will be reminded of the commitment of your organization and personal care you have shown us for many years to come."

    Charles Breitbart
    Park Ridge Homeowners Association

 

Neighborhood Planting FAQs

 

Can townhome communities and apartment complexes apply?
Yes to townhome communities, but unfortunately no to apartment complexes. Apartment companies are welcome to reach out to TreesCharlotte about corporate sponsorships.
How do you determine the 55 percent or less tree canopy coverage?
We look at the data gathered from the 2012 tree canopy assessment, which is published on the Quality of Life Explorer website.
How do you determine average median home value?
We will look at the prices from the last 10 home sales in your neighborhood.
When is the planting season?
The planting season begins around October 1 and ends April 15th each year. TreesCharlotte plants trees when they are dormant, which greatly increases their chance of survival.
Which kinds of trees are available?
Our tree canopy in Charlotte is highly concentrated in a few species, namely willow oaks and crape myrtles. Increasing the types of trees in Charlotte is key to the long-term health of the canopy, and it is one of TreesCharlotte’s missions. In partnership with our tree growers, we have developed a list of 40 tree species for NeighborWoods planting projects. The types of trees available for any given planting project varies depending on soil and drainage conditions, as well as availability from inventories. We usually have 3 to 6 different tree species available for Neighborhood Planting projects and will work with community leaders on the right mix.
Can I select which specific tree I want?
Yes, in most cases we have several varieties of trees available for residents. At each event, we have trained arborists or tree experts (TreeMasters) who will orient residents on how to plant and care for the trees they plant. After this orientation, you will be asked to sign a stewardship pledge indicating your commitment to water and care for the trees you plant. You will then select the trees from the various types available at the event. Trees are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
How big are the trees?
The trees for most Neighborhood events are 7 gallon containerized trees. They range in height from about 6 to 10 feet, and the trunks are about 1 to 1 ½ inches in diameter. The trees are large enough to make an immediate impact and to help ensure tree survival, but not so large to be unmanageable for residents and volunteers.
Will I have help planting my trees?
Yes. TreesCharlotte has a large team of wonderful volunteers who help with Neighborhood events. Some volunteers are from the event neighborhood and many are from other areas in Charlotte.
How many trees will be provided?
The number of trees available varies, but for most Neighborhood tree giveaway events, each resident can select up to 3 trees for planting in his/her yard assuming there is adequate room for the trees. The TreeMasters providing you with planting instructions will also provide guidelines on where to plant trees in your yard. Trees should be placed with care at adequate distances from the house, property line and each other. For any common space plantings, TreesCharlotte will work with you on a planting plan

NeighborWoods Toolkit: Everything you need to make your TreeDay a success!

 

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