Two Ways to Grow Cary’s Tree Canopy: Free Tree Programs Take Root this Fall

• Cary citizens can register now for a free native tree through the fall My Tree, Our Tree giveaway, with pickup on October 10 at Herb Young Community Center.
• Cary's new Shading the Future pilot will strategically plant approximately 200 native trees, at no cost to participants, prioritizing areas with less tree canopy and higher surface temperatures.
• Both programs support Cary's broader environmental goals by growing the community's tree canopy, reducing heat impacts, supporting wildlife, improving air quality, and helping build a more resilient community.

CARY, NC - One tree can provide shade for a yard. Hundreds planted across Cary can help cool neighborhoods, support wildlife, improve air quality, reduce runoff during heavy rain, and strengthen the community's tree canopy for generations. This fall, Cary is offering two ways to put more native trees in the ground: the return of the popular My Tree, Our Tree giveaway and the launch of Shading the Future, a new pilot that takes a more targeted approach to planting trees where their shade can have an even greater impact.

Through My Tree, Our Tree, Cary residents can register for one free native tree per household to plant on their property. Offered twice each year, the program makes it easy to take a simple action at home that, across hundreds of properties, contributes to a healthier urban forest. Native trees provide food and habitat for wildlife and pollinators, absorb carbon dioxide, provide shade, and help reduce runoff during heavy rain.

Registration is now open for the fall giveaway, with five native tree species available while supplies last. Registered participants can pick up their trees Saturday, October 10, from 9 a.m.-noon at Herb Young Community Center. Learn more and register at carync.gov/mytreeourtree.

New this fall, Shading the Future builds on Cary's tree-planting efforts by looking not only at how many trees are planted, but where they can provide the greatest benefit. Funded through a Duke Energy Foundation Local Environmental Impact Grant, the pilot will strategically plant approximately 200 native trees across Cary. Priority will be given to properties in areas with higher surface temperatures, lower existing tree canopy, and enough space for larger trees to mature.

For properties participating in the initiative, Cary and its professional planting partners will help identify the right native tree and planting location based on the property and where shade can have the greatest impact. Then, they'll come out and plant it for you, with the tree and professional planting covered through the grant-funded pilot.

Strategic placement can help shade homes and outdoor spaces during warmer months, reduce the amount of energy needed for cooling, and potentially lower household energy costs over time. As those trees mature, their benefits extend beyond individual properties by helping reduce the urban heat island effect and expanding Cary's overall tree canopy.

Homeowners, businesses, HOAs, schools, places of worship, and other public and private property owners in Cary are eligible to express interest. Completing the interest form does not guarantee participation. Learn more and express interest at carync.gov/shadingthefuture.

About the Environmental Outreach Program

Cary's Environmental Outreach program builds community resiliency through sustainability-focused classes, events, and volunteer opportunities that inspire stewardship of natural resources and sustainable living. Many programs and events are free or low-cost, with registration required where noted. Visit carync.gov/green for the complete Dig In and Grow Green lineup and to subscribe to Cary's monthly environmental newsletter for continued opportunities and updates.

Primary Contacts

If you have specific questions, visit carync.gov/311, dial 311 anywhere in Cary, (919) 469-4000 outside Town limits, or email [email protected].

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