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Portland Parks & Recreation’s Urban Forestry provides free yard trees for Portland residents.
Trees for Your Yard Interest Form
Program Overview
Every fall, Portland residents can receive up to three free trees to plant on their private property. This includes yards, places of worship, and businesses.
Our goal is to grow a healthier, greener city—together. We offer large native evergreens, heat-tolerant trees for hotter summers, flowering trees, nut-bearing trees, and trees rich with autumn color!
Yard Trees can now be used to fulfill your removal and replant tree permit!
Tree planting is funded by the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF).
Eligibility
You're eligible if :
- The trees will be planted at an address within Portland city limits.
- The trees can be planted in a front, side or back yard. They cannot be used as street trees (the space between the curb and the sidewalk).
- You will allow Urban Forestry to check on your tree during the summer as part of a study.
Timeline
- Registration opens in September. You will get a reminder to register if you fill out the interest form below.
- You will choose when and where to pick up your tree. Pick up events are held on Saturdays from late-September to early November.
Interest Form
Interested in trees for your yard? Please fill out the interest form we will send you an email to alert you when registration opens in September 2026.
Trees for Your Yard Interest Form
Help get the word out!
Everyone can contribute to growing Portland's canopy!
Help us spread the word about Yard Tree Giveaway. Tell your neighbors, family, and friends.
You can sign-up to receive printed postcards, flyers, or yard signs to pass around your community.
2025 Tree Species Lists
We offer a variety of medium to large trees, including native, evergreen, conifer, and deciduous options. Every tree is sized to fit in a car, truck, or even ride the bus home with you!
Lista de especies de árboles en Español
Список пород деревьев на русском языке
Volunteer
Have enough trees in your yard? You can still help grow Portland’s tree canopy!
Every Saturday this fall, we’ll host an event to give away around 300 trees —and we need volunteers to make it happen. No experience needed! We’ll provide all the tools and training.
Volunteer tasks may include:
- Welcoming and guiding community members
- Filling buckets with mulch
- Preparing trees for planting
Please check back in August for the list of 2026 Yard Tree Volunteer events.
How To Care for Your Tree
When you pick up your tree, we’ll send you home with a free watering bucket filled with mulch and educational materials to show you how to properly plant and care for your tree. You can view and print the information on how to plant and care for your tree here:
How to properly plant and care for your tree
Plantar y cuidar un árbol nuevo (Spanish)
Trồng và Chăm sóc Cho một cây mới (Vietnamese)
Frequently Asked Questions
Why trees?
Trees provide essential services for all Portlanders. Planting trees helps cool down our neighborhoods and make living and working in Portland more comfortable during the hottest months. They also clean the air, buffer noise, and improve our mental and physical health. On top of all of this, they provide year-round beauty.
Can I use this program to fulfill the planting requirements of a permit?
Yes! Trees from this program may be used to meet the replanting requirement of a Tree Removal and Replanting Permit. While we don't perform the tree removal itself, once the dead or dying tree has been taken out, we can provide the required replacement tree. However, getting a tree from us does not automatically fulfill tree removal/replant permit requirements. Please follow all instructions and requirements as specified in your permit. It is the permit holder's responsibility to complete the permit paperwork.
Please note that trees from this program cannot be used for plantings required as part of a building permit or for corrections required as part of a tree code violation. If you have any questions about your permit, contact Trees@PortlandOregon.gov or call (503) 823-8733.
I own property in Portland, but I live elsewhere. Can I participate in this program?
Yes! Any property within city limits is eligible for trees regardless of where the owner resides.
How many trees will I receive?
You can request up to three free trees!
What kinds of trees do you provide?
We focus on providing large, native, and evergreen trees wherever possible. These trees provide the most benefits to Portlanders. Large trees grow tall, live longer, and give more back to the community. Their large canopies create shade that helps cool neighborhoods in the summer and can improve public health while lowering energy use. They also clean the air, soak up rainwater, and support wildlife. Evergreen trees continue to provide benefits all year long. Because large trees last for many decades, they are a smart, long-term investment. In locations with height limits, like under high-voltage power lines, we plant smaller trees.
Where should I plant my yard tree?
Plant trees at least:
- 10 feet from your home
- 2 feet from property lines
- 5 feet from driveways and water meters
For help picking the best spot, check out Right Tree, Right Place from the Arbor Day Foundation.
How do I plant and care for my tree?
We’ll send you home with a free watering bucket filled with mulch and educational materials to show you how to properly plant and care for your tree. You can view and print the information on how to plant and care for your tree here:
How to properly plant and care for your tree
Plantar y cuidar un árbol nuevo (Spanish)
Trồng và Chăm sóc Cho một cây mới (Vietnamese)
Посадка и уход за новым деревом (Russian)
栽种 和 照料 适用于 新 栽种的 树木 (Simplified Chinese)
What if I need help planting my tree?
We offer free delivery and planting assistance for community members with limited mobility or accessibility needs. Just let us know—we're here to help.
What will I receive with my yard tree?
We'll send you home with a free watering bucket filled with mulch and educational materials to show you how to properly plant and care for your tree.
Can I partner with Yard Tree Giveaway or host a giveaway?
Yes! If you are interested in getting the word out about free yard trees or you have a large parking lot that could host an event or have a group that wants to volunteer at one of our events, please contact Molly Willson: FreeYardTrees@portlandoregon.gov or (503) 823-4963.
Who pays for this?
This program is primarily funded by the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF) with contributions from the Tree Planting and Preservation Fund (TPPF), the Parks Operations Levy, and the General Fund.PCEF is funded by a 1% surcharge on large corporate retailers and is used for projects that reduce carbon emissions, create economic opportunity, and help make our city more resilient to climate change. TPPF is a dedicated city fund that collects fees from developers for removing trees during construction to finance new tree planting.
What other tree planting programs does Urban Forestry have?
We have many programs under Urban Forestry. Here is a list of all our programs:
What is Urban Forestry?
Urban Forestry is a division of Portland Parks & Recreation. Urban Forestry's mission is to manage and ensure Portland's urban forest infrastructure for current and future generations. Urban Forestry is committed to working with property owners, residents, contractors, and communities to enhance the urban forest and optimize the services that trees provide us all.