Keep Evansville Beautiful (KEB) is hosting another tree giveaway in celebration of Arbor Day this year. Native trees sourced from Bur Oak Tree Service and Nursery will be given away outside the main gate of Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve (WW) on Friday, April 29, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., while supplies last. WW is located at 551 N. Boeke Road in Evansville, Indiana. This event is a partnership between KEB, WW, the Evansville Department of Urban Forestry, On the Spot Utility Resources LLC, and CenterPoint Energy.

Mayor Lloyd Winnecke will kick off Arbor Day with remarks at 11 a.m. followed by remarks from KEB. In honor of Arbor Day and WW’s 50^th anniversary, all guests will receive free admission to the 200-acre nature preserve which is the largest urban, old-growth forest in the United States. Guests can also take part in special guided hikes from City Arborist, Shawn Dickerson, and WW Director of Natural Resources, Cindy Cifuentes. Hikes will take place at 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m. Self-guided hikes are also available at the front desk of the WW Nature Center.

Executive Director of KEB, Julie Welch says, “Keep Evansville Beautiful is proud to sponsor this tree giveaway for the community. Trees are at the root of human existence. They absorb carbon dioxide and release the clean oxygen we need to thrive. Not only do they provide clean air but they provide shade on hot days. Their root systems help filter water, and they beautify areas where planted. That’s why it is so important that Evansville residents have the opportunity to help reduce their carbon footprint and beautify their own spaces.”

City Arborist, Shawn Dickerson adds, “The City of Evansville has the initiative to increase canopy cover across the city, but can only plant trees in limited public locations, which is why we are working with our partners to help get trees planted across the city on private properties. This will help us increase canopy cover across the city, in turn, helping keep our city cooler during hot periods, reduce stormwater runoff, beautify our area, and provide great community health benefits.”

Additionally, Bloomington-based Sycamore Land Trust will host an Arbor Day tree giveaway at the Old National Bank Atrium in downtown Evansville. Sycamore Land Trust is a nonprofit conservation organization that protects Eagle Slough Natural Area in Evansville in addition to over 10,000 acres of land in southern Indiana, including over 30 miles of free public hiking trails. They will give away over 250 native tree seedlings, grown at the Indiana Department of Natural Resource’s Vallonia Tree Nursery. Available species include (while supplies last): American plum, black cherry, black gum, common chokecherry, Chinkapin oak, pin oak, elderberry, hazelnut, gray dogwood, pawpaw, red oak, shagbark hickory, and Washington hawthorn, and more. These tree species were chosen for the benefits they provide to wildlife, including food and shelter.