Have you lost trees in your front yard over the past couple of years to disease or extreme weather conditions? Join the “family” of over 200 Edmond residents who are “fostering” trees in their front yards! The Foster-A-Tree program is a great way to replace trees you've removed, free of charge to you. This program helps the Urban Forestry Department to replace trees that have been lost throughout the City, while providing support to keep them alive. In addition, trees planted through the Foster-A-Tree program contribute to species diversity in the urban forest.

Eligible properties include those located within Edmond City limits, and on public streets. There must be space near the street for a tree without conflicting with utilities, sight distances, and the growth of other existing trees. If you would like to find out more about registration, visit the Foster-A-Tree web page.

Planting trees along your neighborhood’s streets can benefit your family and neighborhood community in a variety of ways, including:

• Increased property values
• Improved salability of homes
• Energy savings when planted in certain locations
• Cooler temperatures in your yard, vehicles in the driveway, and paved surfaces that are shaded
• Beautification and added visual interest
• Traffic calming (vehicles drive slower down roads with trees as opposed to no landscaping)
• A greater sense of pride and community within your neighborhood
• Stress relief and a personal greater sense of peace and wellbeing

Due to the drought and extreme heat we’ve experienced over the past two summers, it’s likely that we will continue to see some trees decline and die. We all know that trees take a while to grow to a size where we can really enjoy what they have to offer. It’s been said that the best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, but the second best time to plant a tree is today. By investing in new trees now, we can really improve our quality of life a few years down the road.

The best part about the Foster-A-Tree program is that the tree is provided and planted for you, free of charge. We aren’t talking about little stick-like trees – these are high quality, decent sized trees (15-20 gallon containers, or 1 ¼ - 2 inch caliper). The only thing we ask is that you hand water your foster tree for at least two years, or until it becomes established. (A lawn sprinkler system will not suffice.)

If you’re convinced that the Foster-A-Tree program is for you or if you still need a little more convincing, take a look at the Foster-A-Tree web page to find out all about how the program works. From there, you can register online for next season’s planting program.


View more topics from the January 2013 Edmond Tree Mail message.