Spring has sprung and the City of Fort Lauderdale is marking the occasion with a leafy giveaway for its residents. In a bid to spruce up energy efficiency and environmental health, the city is teaming up with the Arbor Day Foundation to distribute free trees to locals, reports a recent announcement. Starting Tuesday, March 19, Fort Lauderdale homeowners can stake their claim to one complimentary tree per household on a first-come, first-served basis.
The canopy campaign tosses out a variety of tree species including Bald Cypress, Live Oak, Sweet Bay Magnolia, Dahoon Holly, and Crape Myrtle 'Muskogee.’ Residents, during the online reservation process, are provided an interactive view that allows pinpointing the planting spot around their homes that garners the most ecological and energy-conserving bang for their buck. Eager green thumbs need to act fast, though, as the initiative is a pilot program with a finite number of trees available.
By offering trees directly mailed to households at nary a cost, Fort Lauderdale takes another step toward its ambitious goal of attaining 33% canopy coverage by the year 2040. Among the host of benefits, city officials cite the power of trees to dial down a home's energy needs and boost the air quality. "Trees around homes can help reduce the amount of energy your home requires; increase property value; reduce your carbon footprint; improve air quality; and more effectively catch stormwater runoff," the city trumpets its eco-friendly cause.
Having bagged accolades such as Tree City USA and Tree City of the World from the Arbor Day Foundation, Fort Lauderdale is proud to pedal forward with the Energy-Saving Trees program. Neighbors curious about the initiative can direct their questions to the Arbor Day Foundation at 855-234-3801, via email at [email protected], or to the Sustainability Division of the City’s Public Works Department at [email protected].
