10 species to be available on first-come, first-served basis
City of Sarasota residents are invited to participate in a tree giveaway and sustainability tabling event from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 18, at The Bay, city staff has announced.
The address is 1055 Blvd of the Arts, a city news release notes.
“This event, in celebration of Earth Day as part of The Bay Park’s Good to Be Green Months at The Bay, will provide participants with the opportunity to select one of 200 free trees provided by the City of Sarasota while supplies last,” the release says. Interested residents may choose from 10 different species of juvenile trees, as follows, the release adds:
- Live oak.
- Orange Geiger.
- Southern magnolia.
- Royal palm.
- Crape myrtle.
- Green buttonwood.
- Winged elm.
- Sycamore.
- Hass avocado.
- Mango
Trees will be available on a first-come, first-served basis to city residents, the release points out, emphasizing that the giveaway will end when the supply has been depleted. “City arborists will be on-site to provide guidance on selecting the right tree, choosing the ideal location, and caring for a tree,” the release adds.
Proof of City residency will be required for persons to participate in the event, the release further stresses. A valid Florida driver’s license, ID card or city utility bill with a City of Sarasota address will be accepted, it says.
Throughout the event, attendees will be encouraged to visit the pavilion at The Nest, where a representative of the city’s Sustainability and Resilience program will be available to discuss this year’s Earth Day theme, Our Power, Our Planet, sustainability initiatives, and more “with interactive content for all ages,” the release notes. In addition, attendees will be able to stop by at noon for Earth Day remarks by city Commissioner Ahearn-Koch, “who will talk about important past, present and future sustainability initiatives and the critical tie between a healthy Sarasota environment and the local economy,” the release adds.
Trees for this event were paid for out of the city’s Tree Mitigation Fund, “which collects a portion of tree removal permit dollars to be used for urban canopy programs,” the release points out.
“In addition to beautifying the community, canopy trees provide significant benefits, including cleaning the air, conserving energy, filtering stormwater runoff, mitigating the urban heat island effect, and providing a habitat for native wildlife,” the release says.