As part of our Community Tree Programs, the City intends to build partnerships with the non-profit and private sectors to support fulfilling the goals of Bellingham’s upcoming Urban Forest Plan.
Recent studies have identified that the greatest need and potential for additional trees locally is on private land. We have also heard feedback from our community that common barriers to tree planting include:
- the ability to pay for materials and maintenance
- understanding of tree selection, placement, and care, and
- tools to physically plant trees
Community Tree Partnerships is intended to help reduce the financial, educational, and logistical barriers to tree planting on private land by working with the non-profit and private sectors in providing some or all of these services to community members.
2024/2025 Partnership
Whatcom Million Trees Project and the Whatcom Conservation District applied for and received a grant from the City in 2024 to support a tree giveaway project in early 2025 that will increase the number of trees planted on private property within Bellingham. These organizations are giving away free trees in March 2025 to residents in the five Bellingham neighborhoods with the lowest tree canopy: Columbia, Roosevelt, Lettered Streets, Sunnyland, and York. Learn more about the 2025 tree giveaway project.
More information
For more information, please email habitat@cob.org.
