One of the City of Sarasota's most popular events is back: On Saturday, April 18, city residents are invited to participate in a tree giveaway from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Participants can select one of 200 juvenile free trees provided by the city while supplies last. Species include:

• Live oak
• Orange geiger
• Southern magnolia
• Royal Palm
• Crape myrtle
• Green buttonwood
• Winged elm
• Sycamore
• Hass avocado
• Mango

The event is a celebration of Earth Day and part of the The Bay's Good to Be Green Months.  Trees will be available on a first-come, first-served basis to city residents while supplies last, and arborists will be on-site to offer guidance on selecting the right tree, choosing an ideal location and caring for it. Proof of City residency will be required in order to participate. A valid Florida driver's license, ID card, or city utility bill with a City of Sarasota address will be accepted.

Trees for the event were paid for by the city’s Tree Mitigation Fund, which collects a portion of tree removal permit dollars to be used for urban canopy programs like this one.

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.

Additionally, the pavilion at The Nest will host a representative from the city's Sustainability and Resilience program, who will discuss this year's Earth Day theme, "Our Power, Our Planet," as well as the city's current sustainability initiatives. City commissioner Jennifer Ahearn-Koch will give remarks at noon.