2024 Small & Simple Grant:
Free Trees for
Sunnyland
THANKS FOR THE GREAT RESPONSE, SUNNYLAND! We’re beginning to contact tree recipients now.
Sunnyland needs trees!
Did you know Sunnyland has the lowest tree canopy of any Bellingham neighborhood with the exception of the downtown commercial district?
Thanks to a Small & Simple Grant from the City of Bellingham, SNA will purchase trees for about 35 neighbors this fall. Trees will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis; thank you to everyone who applied.
1. Start here:
Would you like to apply for a free tree? Please read this fine print:
Recipients of the free trees must live within the Sunnyland neighborhood boundaries, according to this map.
If you aren’t the property owner of the ground where you’d like to plant the tree, we need written permission from the owner in order to approve your application.
Trees purchased as a part of this project are intended to be planted on private property, not in the city’s right-of-way or in parks.
We’ll do the buying, and you’ll do the planting. We may be able to arrange a work party this fall around the time the trees are picked up, but we can’t guarantee that. If you get a free tree, you’re committing to getting it into the ground.
You’ll have a list of species to choose from, and you may not get your first choice.
Trees will be ready for pickup sometime in October; exact date TBD.
2. Do your research…
Tree Planting Guidelines
Review the resources and information compiled by the City of Bellingham to help you choose a tree species and planting location, and help you plant safely and properly. After you’ve done your research…
3. Apply below!
Applications have closed due to an overwhelming response! We hope to offer tree planting programs in future years, so stay tuned!
Tree Options:
Japanese Snowbell
(Styrax japonicus)
Non-native deciduous
20-30 feet
Full sun to partial shade
Moist, well-drained soil
Eastern Redbud
(Cercis canadensis)
Non-native deciduous
20-30 feet
Full sun to partial shade
Well-drained soil
Flowering Dogwood
(Cornus kousa)
Non-native deciduous
20-40 feet
Full sun to partial shade
Moist, well-drained soil
Western Red Cedar
(Thuja plicata)
Native conifer
150-200 feet
Shade to full sun
Wet to moist soil
Note: Western Red Cedars given out as part of this program will be younger trees in 1-gallon pots, but they grow quickly and will get VERY large. Only choose this option if you have a large yard.