Minneapolis residents looking to spruce up their yards have a shot at bagging a tree with a root in environmental sustainability and pocket-friendly savings. The City of Minneapolis, in partnership with Tree Trust, has introduced the annual City Trees Lottery, allowing property owners to enter for a chance to purchase trees at the discounted rate of $30 each. The campaign is a part of the city's broader effort to grow its urban canopy and bolster the benefits that trees offer to communities and ecosystems alike.
Starting February 1 and running through March 31, Minneapolis property owners can try and narrowly split the usual cost of tree planting, with the city offering up to two trees per address. Individuals chosen through the lottery will receive a notification in April, complete with instructions on how to order their trees. Those taking root in the program can pick up their leafy acquisitions on the designated days of May 18 and 19, with the pickup location communicated via email to successful participants.
According to a statement from the city, this initiative stretches back to 2006 with the City Trees program's inception, emphasizing its longevity and commitment to greening Minneapolis. In the years since, over 25,000 trees have found new soil through this program, 7,500 of which have been rooted in the past five years alone.
The environmental impact is clearly outlined: trees are known to actively clean the air, offer shade and cooling, reduce utility bills, intercept stormwater runoff, and create homes for wildlife. They have the bonus of improving the health and well-being of those living near them. However, it's the bigger trees that have been shown to truly split and best the benefits they bestow upon both homeowners and the habitat they share.
Those interested in learning more about the City Tree Program have the opportunity to watch footage from the previous year, showcasing over 1,500 community members making the most of the 2023 tree pickup day, as noted by the city's promotion of the event.
