As the name suggests, the Community Tree Program is passionate about both people and trees. That’s why it partners with local, state, and federal organizations to promote the many benefits of urban trees and encourages active community participation in city tree care. This effort is especially important as today’s urban canopy is in decline. The Community Tree Program works to reverse this trend by inventorying our city’s trees and aiding in the development of a comprehensive management plan for our urban forest.

We also, of course, do the planting! Since 1977 we have assisted neighborhoods in the planting and maintaining of over 9,000 trees on Wilmington streets. The benefits of trees cannot be overstated; from reducing energy costs to their intrinsic beauty, trees are a simple way to bring green to our city streets. Each spring we celebrate our trees by coordinating the city’s annual Arbor Day program, planting trees with hundreds of students during the last two weeks of April. This activity culminates in the City of Wilmington’s annual Arbor Day/Tree City USA ceremony.

We know that trees are a great addition to any neighborhood and so the Community Tree Program works hard to make them accessible to residents.  If you live within the city limits of Wilmington and are interested in getting a free tree for your street check out our Free Tree Program page for more details. If you live in a surrounding area and want to purchase a tree, look for our bi-annual Bare Root Tree sale held in February and November. The varieties for sale are specially selected to thrive in urban conditions.

Beyond the planting, TheDCH also collaborates with the City of Wilmington by providing expertise and professional consultation services for numerous urban forest projects to help protect and maintain this important resource. If you have a tree related question please contact Annie Acton.