To celebrate Arbor Day and help boost tree canopy coverage, Tauranga City Council is holding its inaugural Free Tree Day. This initiative offers residents the opportunity to receive one free native tree per household to plant on their property.

The aim of Free Tree Day is to enhance tree canopy coverage across Tauranga, support local biodiversity, and provide a fun, whānau friendly outdoor activity. Currently, Tauranga has only 22% tree canopy cover, with Council aiming to increase this to 30% or more.

"We’re eager to engage with our community about the many benefits trees bring to our neighbourhoods, such as providing shade during hot summer days and shelter for native birdlife," says Tauranga City Council Principal Urban Forester Mark Armistead.

"We want to not only enhance our environment but also cultivate a deeper sense of responsibility towards our natural surroundings."

Residents can choose from a variety of native tree species including Pōhutukawa, Tōtara, and Kōwhai. Trees will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, with a total of 1900 trees available. The trees are ready to plant and can easily fit in a car, so trailers won’t be needed.

Council staff from the Sustainability, Arborist, and Environment teams will be present at Bay Park to provide educational materials, guidance on tree care and information on other Council-led environmental initiatives.

Attendees can enjoy a coffee cart and sausage sizzle on-site. This event is exclusively for Tauranga residents. Council staff will record the intended planting locations to ensure all suburbs benefit from this initiative.

Free Tree Day
Bay Park, 81 Truman Lane
Sunday, 9 June, 9am – 1pm

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