Baltimore County to Celebrate Arbor Day with Free Tree Giveaway

TOWSON, MD – County Executive Johnny Olszewski today announced that Baltimore County is offering free trees to residents in recognition of Arbor Day. Trees may be preordered online and picked up on Friday, April 26 and Saturday, April 27 by appointment only, or will be available at a first come-first served event on Sunday, April 28.

“Trees are critical infrastructure for our communities and for our environment, and every tree planted helps increase the County’s tree canopy, curtail stormwater runoff and erosion and reduce greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere,” said Olszewski. “In addition to air quality benefits, trees provide food, protection and habitat for wildlife while increasing property values and beautifying neighborhoods.”

County Giving Away 1,200 Trees to Baltimore County Residents

The County’s Arbor Day weekend giveaway is open to Baltimore County residents only, and each household may order up to two free trees. Residents should preorder through the County website, and are encouraged to order early. The Department of Environmental Protection and Sustainability (DEPS) is hosting curbside tree pickups of these preordered trees on Friday, April 26 and Saturday, April 27 in the parking lot of the Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum, with pre-scheduled times for residents who have ordered trees.

The County is offering the following species for pre-order, which as native Maryland trees are well suited for local soil types, require less watering than non-native trees and are naturally resistant to pests and diseases common to the area:

150 each of these species:

• Redbud
• Red Maple
• Scarlet Oak
• Serviceberry
• White Oak

75 of each of these species:

• Black Gum
• Sycamore

Any pre-ordered trees that are not picked up as scheduled on Friday or Saturday will be offered to the public on Sunday. We are not able to reserve any remaining pre-ordered trees.

Sunday Option - First-come-first-served tree pick-up

In lieu of pre-ordering trees, residents may come to the Benjamin Banneker Museum parking lot between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Sunday, April 28 and select up to two trees. No reservations are necessary but supplies are limited.

Trees available for unscheduled pick-up on Sunday, April 28 include:

50 each of these species:

• Redbud
• Red Maple
• Scarlet Oak
• Serviceberry
• White Oak

25 each of these species:

• Black Gum
• Sycamore

For questions or to cancel their order, residents may email forestmanagment@baltimorecountymd.gov, or call 410-887-1369.

Put Your Tree on the Map

County residents who plant trees themselves are invited to record the tree locations on the County’s Environmental Reporter Web Application, an online tool that enables the public to help the County track environmental data, including locations where people plant trees or install rain barrels.

Ongoing Tree Planting Programs - Backyard Trees and Turf to Trees

County landowners can also apply now for the County to plant trees at no cost to them next fall through one of two County programs – Backyard Trees or Turf to Trees – depending on the amount of land available. Eligible plantings can range from 20 trees up to a large multi-acre reforestation, converting turf to environmentally beneficial forested ecosystems.

The Backyard Trees program requires a minimum planting area of only one-tenth of an acre. This program was created to make reforestation more accessible to property owners with less than an acre of available land. The Turf to Trees program is intended for larger tracts of open land, with 200 trees planted per acre to create rural reforestations, and it includes three years of free maintenance.

Interested landowners can learn more on the County website. These programs focus on reforestation and do not include the planting of evergreens, or small groupings of trees intended to provide landscaping or privacy screening. The Forestry Management Division of the Department of Environmental Protection and Sustainability manages these programs and can be contacted at ForestManagement@baltimorecountymd.gov.