Free trees for your yard as Branching Out expands

The Branching Out Program returned to southeast Calgary on Saturday, offering residents free trees as part of the city's plan to nearly double its tree canopy from 10 per cent to 16 per cent by 2060.

Each quadrant was assigned a registration week, and this weekend is the southeast's turn to claim trees. Because the northeast and southeast include some of Calgary's lowest tree-canopy coverage, those quadrants receive additional trees to support more equitable distribution across the city.

Out of 10,000 trees available this year — double last year's 5,000 — 6,000 are earmarked for the eastern quadrants. "I just bought a house, and we're looking to put some nice greenery in our backyard. Our fence is going up this summer. And so, this is just a great opportunity to come out and get some really lovely trees," said one homeowner.

Alan Joiner, superintendent of Calgary Urban Forestry, outlined why this matters: "Stormwater retention is a good thing that trees help with by slowing down stormwater runoff. But also shading, so it helps cool down homes and the people underneath the trees that sit in the shade. As well as adding a lot of biodiversity, so habitat for wildlife, and people just like being around trees, so it's a greater sense of well-being as well."

The program began in 2019 with just 500 trees. After this weekend, sign-ups wrap up June 20–21.