The 27th annual TreeFest will be held Friday, January 17 and Saturday, January 18, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., or while supplies last, at Wilmington's Independence Mall inside the JC Penney corridor.
Households may choose up to five (5) free trees or grasses from the available selection (a $5 donation per household is suggested). All trees and grasses are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Tree species include longleaf pine, atlantic white cedar, eastern red cedar, bald cypress, american persimmon, red maple, river birch, flowering dogwood, silky dogwood, sugarberry, eastern redbud, live oak, water oak, and white oak. Indian grass and little bluestem grass will also be available. Please note that tree species are subject to availability and some may not be available at the giveaway. Trees are bare root and should be planted as soon as possible.
More than 5,000 individual plants will be available during the give-away, with an equal amount distributed each day. In order to serve as many in our community as possible, we ask patrons to limit household allotments to five plants. This year, in an effort to reduce single use plastics, the TreeFest committee is asking visitors to bring their own non-leaking bag or bucket to take home their bare root seedlings.
Experts will be available at TreeFest to help with plant selection and provide information for their care. Before selecting trees, residents are encouraged to consider the size of the site, whether utility lines exist above and below ground, proximity to buildings, and site conditions like soil type, drainage and sun exposure.
Trees offer many benefits to our community, from offering flood protection and improving water and air quality, to providing shade and oxygen, and providing food and nesting sites for birds and wildlife. "A robust tree canopy can help our community be more resilient in the face of a changing climate," says Amy Mead, Brunswick County Extension Director and TreeFest committee member.
TreeFest began in 1997 after hurricanes Bertha and Fran decimated tree populations in the area. Since its inception, TreeFest has given away over 150,000 tree seedlings and grasses to area residents. The NC Forest Service Nursery in Goldsboro, NC grew the plants for this event. A voluntary planning committee and many sponsors, including the City of Wilmington, Friends of Wilmington Skateparks, Independence Mall, N.C. Cooperative Extension, NC Forest Service, New Hanover County Soil and Water Conservation District, and UNCW’s Departments of Environmental Sciences and Biology & Marine Biology, make TreeFest possible with the generous donations from its patrons and event day volunteers.
