Get a tree in front of your home or business – or help plant one

Help grow west Berkeley’s urban forest by asking for and then caring for a tree in front of your residence or business -- or help plant one at a community event.

The total canopy over Berkeley's flatlands is less dense than in the hills. Our Urban Forestry unit has identified 10,000 locations around Berkeley for potential street trees. But you may know of more - and it might be in front of your own apartment or home.

Increasing the urban forest improves quality of life. Trees provide shade, produce oxygen, absorb carbon dioxide, stabilize temperatures, and reduce the cost of cooling.

Request a tree to be planted in front of your home, residence, or building

If you're interested in applying for a tree, fill out our Trees Make Life Better Application. Over the next 15 months, we will focus on planting trees in residential neighborhoods.

When making the request, consider whether you will be able to water or irrigate the new tree for the first three years. Volunteering to water a tree allows more to be planted.  If watering is not possible, the City is able to water with a mobile watering truck. We'll cut and clear out concrete to create a new tree well when necessary.

Requests for all areas can be made at any time. Staff will be promoting the planting project and inspecting requested locations in different neighborhoods over the following three-month sequences. New trees will be planted during these times, or shortly after when the conditions are favorable.

• Area 2: March - May, 2022
• Area 6: April - June, 2022
• Area 8: June - August, 2022
• Area 1: October - December 2023
• Area 3: November - January 2023
• Area 4: December - February 2023
• Area 5: January - March 2023
• Area 7: March - May, 2023

High Resolution View of Map

For more information on the Trees Make Life Better Planting Program, please call 510-981-6660.

Volunteer to plant trees this Arbor Day

You can also come out on Arbor Day when we'll be planting 50 trees at San Pablo Park. We'll provide the tools, trees, guidance, and lunch. Get your hands dirty, and learn about tree species, and the role trees play in our city.

Volunteers, please wear outdoor appropriate clothing (including closed-toed shoes) that can get dirtied by grass and soil. Neighborhood street parking is available, as well as public transit via Line 88  the Sacramento bus line.

City partnering with state to increase the urban forest

This tree planting is made possible by state grants sought and received by the City's Department of Parks, Recreation and Waterfront. The grants fund tree planting in neighborhoods that have lower levels of tree canopy density.

1.  Urban Greening Grant Program for $725,000, with a City match of $190,000. Awarded March, 2020.
2. Environmental Enhancement and Mitigation Program Grant for $500,000, with a City match of $125,000, awarded February 2022.

With funds from the above grant awards, the City has developed the Trees Make Life Better Program to inform residents of the potential for new street trees. Both grants will cover staff costs, trees, planting materials, marketing, watering, and concrete cuts if needed.

We anticipate that approximately 1,200 - 1,800 new street trees will be planted with these funds. So far, over 200 trees have been planted in west Berkeley.

Additionally, the grant will provide for the planting and watering of 250 trees in Aquatic Park, 50 in San Pablo Park, and 50 on University Avenue between Frontage and Marina Boulevard.

To request a tree or for more information on the City's Trees Make Life Better Program and the City's standard tree planting program, please call 510-981-6660.

This is one small step that we can all take towards greener living and a better tomorrow.

Links

• Trees Make Life Better Application
• City of Berkeley Tree Planting
• High Resolution View of Map