Our Halloween Tree Adoption event is here!
Our amazing nursery volunteers help us raise more than 2,000 trees each year. Photo by Andy Wickstrom
This fall, Asheville GreenWorks will give away more than 400 trees to Buncombe County residents, passing the 5,000 tree mark — the first major milestone on our journey to restore the tree canopy 50 percent by 2040.
Since setting this goal in 2019, GreenWorks has planted about 900 trees on public and private property, and given away 3,800 more trees to Buncombe County residents to plant in their yards. COVID slowed progress toward this goal, but this fall’s tree adoption event puts GreenWorks back on track to plant 50,000 trees over the next two decades.
Why urban trees...
Planting urban trees is very different from planting on open land or in protected forests. There isn’t space left within the city limits to add acres and acres of trees all in one place. Instead, GreenWorks relies on Buncombe County homeowners and property holders to fill in the gaps by planting and caring for trees on their own land.
GreenWorks also chose to call the event a "Tree Adoption" rather than "Tree Giveaway" to better reflect the value of the trees and the stewardship role that residents play in restoring the tree canopy.
“Each person who sets aside space in their yard for a native tree contributes to a climate-resilient future for Asheville,” said Dawn Chavez, Executive Director of Asheville GreenWorks.
The City of Asheville’s 2019 tree canopy study found that our urban trees provide millions of dollars worth of protections against extreme weather to the benefit of residents’ health, homes, and city infrastructure.
GreenWorks also focuses on planting native trees, which provide a four-fold benefit. These trees absorb excess rainwater to mitigate flooding; hold our hillsides to prevent erosion; shade our neighborhoods from extreme heat; and feed the pollinators that protect our food ecosystem.
We couldn’t have come this far without the generous support of Buncombe County Parks and Recreation. Not only does Parks and Rec grant financial support for our tree growing and planting programs, but they have made it possible for GreenWorks to establish our Sand Hill Tree Nursery and Orchard at the Buncombe County Sports Park.
Seedlings receive weekly care from dedicated volunteers for 3-4 years to grow strong enough to thrive in your backyard with minimal care.
How to adopt ...
GreenWorks relies on financial support from our community to offer trees to Buncombe County residents for adoption.
You can reserve your tree with a donation of any amount starting at just $10. If cost is a barrier to your participation, please call us at (828) 254-1776.
It costs us about $100/year and 3-4 years to grow each tree to the point it can be planted with the best chance to thrive. On average, the tree you'll adopt has received 100 hours of hands-on care by volunteers every year, since the time it was potted up as a seedling to the day you take it home with you!
Your tree adoption donation today helps to sustain nursery operations so that we can continue to have trees for Buncombe County residents to adopt for generations to come, and it bolsters our capacity to work with low-wealth communities and communities of color who are disproportionately affected by tree loss, pollution, and climate change.
