Tampa-area tree giveaways may help regrow what was lost during the hurricanes
By Lia Marsee
April 17, 2025 at 6:00 AM EDT
In celebration of Arbor Day, as well as April being Earth Month, local cities and counties are giving away free trees.
When Hurricanes Helene and Milton hit the greater Tampa Bay region last year, they took down a large number of trees.
But upcoming giveaways by Pinellas County, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, and Tampa might help to replenish these numbers.
People will be able to pick up one or two trees from a variety of species.
Pinellas County is holding its giveaway Saturday in Clearwater.
Carolyn Cheatham Rhodes, the county's urban forester, said it lost around 1,600 trees during the storms — 1,000 in their parks and another 600 on public streets.
ALSO READ: Pinellas County is making progress on renourishing hurricane-damaged beaches
"I think it just helps heal us," Rhodes said. "Otherwise, it's something we can do. It's some way that we can be a part of the recovery of our entire community."
Kayla Caselli, Tampa's interim sustainability and resilience officer, said this is important to help regrow the city's shade canopy after 5% of it was eradicated by the hurricanes.
"It’s kind of all hands on deck," Caselli said. "Every strategy, every lever we can pull is helpful to kind of regrowing what we lost."
One of the species being offered in Tampa is Southern Live Oak, which Caselli said is a great option to help with wind resistance.
She adds this giveaway will help bring biodiversity to the shade canopy while also helping with one of Tampa Mayor Jane Castor's larger projects.
"Overall, this is helping the administration’s goal of planting 30,000 trees by 2030, so just one of the ways we’re trying to accomplish that," Caselli said.
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor has taken part in tree giveaways in the past. This year's giveaway is part of her administration's goal of planting 30,000 trees by 2030. (2048x1366, AR: 1.499267935578331)
Below is a list of where and when each giveaway will be, and what the requirements are:
Pinellas County
Saturday, April 19, from 9 a.m. to noon at the County’s Urban Forestry and Landscape Services campus, 4550 126th Ave N., Clearwater.
Each household will be able to receive two trees. The tree species are offered on a first come, first serve basis, they include:
Hillsborough County
Wednesday, April 23, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County, 5339 County Rd 579, Seffner.
UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County will hold an interactive educational workshop on trees, followed by a tree giveaway. Registration is required.
City of Sarasota
Friday, April 25, and Saturday, April 26, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Bay Park, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota.
Each person is granted one tree only with proof of residency. The tree species are offered on a first come, first serve basis:
Tampa
Saturday, April 26, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Al Barnes Park, 2902 N 32nd St, Tampa.
You must be a resident of Tampa and register prior to this event to secure a pick-up time and tree before the event. The time for registration opened on April 15.
People must be able to safely transport a 3- to 8-foot-tall tree(s) in their vehicles, depending on the species. It's recommended arriving with a blanket laid out covering your car wherever you plan to put the tree. There will be staff present to help load the trees.
Each household is eligible to receive two trees, but they must register for two tickets. The tree species offered include:
Saturday, April 26, and Sunday, April 27, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Walter Fuller Park, 7891 26th Ave. N. in St Petersburg.
Admission and parking for the event are free. Attendees should bring their own garden carts and reusable bags to use for purchases at the festival. If needed, there will be garden carts available to rent.
The city is giving away 600 Pine Seedlings and 600 Red Pentas while supplies last.
Pinellas County is hosting a tree giveaway on Saturday April 19, 9 a.m. until noon at 4550 126th Ave N in Clearwater. (2110x1536, AR: 1.3736979166666667)
But upcoming giveaways by Pinellas County, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, and Tampa might help to replenish these numbers.
People will be able to pick up one or two trees from a variety of species.
Pinellas County is holding its giveaway Saturday in Clearwater.
Carolyn Cheatham Rhodes, the county's urban forester, said it lost around 1,600 trees during the storms — 1,000 in their parks and another 600 on public streets.
ALSO READ: Pinellas County is making progress on renourishing hurricane-damaged beaches
"I think it just helps heal us," Rhodes said. "Otherwise, it's something we can do. It's some way that we can be a part of the recovery of our entire community."
Kayla Caselli, Tampa's interim sustainability and resilience officer, said this is important to help regrow the city's shade canopy after 5% of it was eradicated by the hurricanes.
"It’s kind of all hands on deck," Caselli said. "Every strategy, every lever we can pull is helpful to kind of regrowing what we lost."
One of the species being offered in Tampa is Southern Live Oak, which Caselli said is a great option to help with wind resistance.
She adds this giveaway will help bring biodiversity to the shade canopy while also helping with one of Tampa Mayor Jane Castor's larger projects.
"Overall, this is helping the administration’s goal of planting 30,000 trees by 2030, so just one of the ways we’re trying to accomplish that," Caselli said.
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor has taken part in tree giveaways in the past. This year's giveaway is part of her administration's goal of planting 30,000 trees by 2030. (2048x1366, AR: 1.499267935578331)
Below is a list of where and when each giveaway will be, and what the requirements are:
Pinellas County
Saturday, April 19, from 9 a.m. to noon at the County’s Urban Forestry and Landscape Services campus, 4550 126th Ave N., Clearwater.
Each household will be able to receive two trees. The tree species are offered on a first come, first serve basis, they include:
- Bald cypress
- Dahoon holly
- American elm
- S.FL. Slash pine
- Longleaf pine
- Red bay
- Simpson stopper
- Florida privet
Hillsborough County
Wednesday, April 23, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County, 5339 County Rd 579, Seffner.
UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County will hold an interactive educational workshop on trees, followed by a tree giveaway. Registration is required.
City of Sarasota
Friday, April 25, and Saturday, April 26, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Bay Park, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota.
Each person is granted one tree only with proof of residency. The tree species are offered on a first come, first serve basis:
- Jamaican caper
- Simpson’s stopper
- Walter’s viburnum
- Bracken’s Magnolia
- Spanish stopper
- orange geiger
- gumbo limbo
- loblolly bay
- chickasaw plum
- bald cypress
- longleaf pine
- marlberry
- clusia
- mango
- royal palm
- live oak
- silver buttonwood
- green buttonwood
Tampa
Saturday, April 26, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Al Barnes Park, 2902 N 32nd St, Tampa.
You must be a resident of Tampa and register prior to this event to secure a pick-up time and tree before the event. The time for registration opened on April 15.
People must be able to safely transport a 3- to 8-foot-tall tree(s) in their vehicles, depending on the species. It's recommended arriving with a blanket laid out covering your car wherever you plan to put the tree. There will be staff present to help load the trees.
Each household is eligible to receive two trees, but they must register for two tickets. The tree species offered include:
- Southern Live Oak
- Longleaf Pine
- Red Mulberry
- Black Tupelo or Gum
- Pond Cypress
- Silver Buttonwood
Saturday, April 26, and Sunday, April 27, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Walter Fuller Park, 7891 26th Ave. N. in St Petersburg.
Admission and parking for the event are free. Attendees should bring their own garden carts and reusable bags to use for purchases at the festival. If needed, there will be garden carts available to rent.
The city is giving away 600 Pine Seedlings and 600 Red Pentas while supplies last.
Pinellas County is hosting a tree giveaway on Saturday April 19, 9 a.m. until noon at 4550 126th Ave N in Clearwater. (2110x1536, AR: 1.3736979166666667)