Tree Giveaway

What is a tree voucher program?

Tree giveaways are valuable programs used to incentivize tree planting and educate the community on the value of tree care and planting.  The City of Mercer Island is offering a tree voucher to residents in partnership with the Washington State Nursery and Landscape Association (WSNLA). In this tree giveaway program, the resident applies for a voucher, and if they meet the application requirements, they are awarded a tree voucher and tree planting education materials. The voucher may be used like a gift card at any WSNLA nursery. Vouchers provide $150 toward the purchase of a single tree, or several smaller trees.

Tree voucher programs like the City’s vastly reduces staff time spent sourcing, holding, moving, caring for, and distributing plant materials, and gives applicants a wider range of trees to choose from. Voucher participants simply visit a participating nursery, pick out an approved tree suited to their planting location, use the voucher to purchase the tree, then take it home and plant it.

Why is the City giving away trees?

Trees have so many benefits in the urban environment! Urban trees cool the air through shading and evapotranspiration, are foundational to healthy ecological systems, increase property values, slow stormwater movement and take up runoff, and sequester carbon.

Based on the tree canopy analysis performed on Mercer Island in 2018, we know that 85% of the plantable area remaining on Mercer Island is on single-family residential land. Increasing tree planting on this private land is essential to increasing the island’s total canopy cover! Expanding the City’s urban tree canopy is also identified as a priority in the Mercer Island’s Climate Action Plan (CAP). Natural cooling from tree shade reduces extreme heat stress and decreases energy demand for air conditioning. In the CAP, the City set a goal of increasing tree canopy cover on private land 5% by 2030. To bring awareness to this tree planting opportunity and the benefits of trees, the city is sponsoring a tree giveaway.

Did you know? Evergreen trees, like Douglas fir and western red cedar, capture and absorb more than 60% of the rain that falls on them throughout the year. This helps prevent flooding and reduces rainwater runoff. 

Program requirements:

• You must live on Mercer Island to be eligible for this program.
• Homeowners and renters with express written permission from the property owner are eligible for this program.
• The trees must be planted within Mercer Island city limits on private property, not in the public-right-of way (ROW). You may view your parcel and the location of the adjacent ROW at the Mercer Island GIS Portal.
• Tree planting that is required to meet a condition of development, the city code, or a permit is not eligible. Only voluntary tree planting is eligible for this rebate program. 
• Vouchers are limited to one per property per year with a $750 lifetime maximum per property.
• Vouchers are limited in supply and will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last.
• The property owner shall be responsible for all future maintenance of trees distributed by this program.

Tree Requirements

• Tree species selections, in general, should reach a mature height of at least 15 feet tall and a canopy spread of at least 10 feet wide.
• Trees should be selected from the Mercer Island Tree Voucher Pre-Approved Tree List.
• Trees not on the list may be approved on a case-by-case basis by contacting urbanforestry@mercerisland.gov. Hedge-forming trees and dwarf varieties will not be approved.
• The following trees are prohibited due to their impacts on local natural areas: English holly, European mountain ash, English laurel, sycamore maple, common hawthorn, black locust, and tree-of-heaven.
• In addition to a tree, the voucher may be used to purchase one tree watering bag and/or two bags of mulch.  All other non-tree plants, shrubs, flowers, tools, and other supplies are not eligible for purchase.

Planting Requirements

• It is the property owner’s responsibility to ensure the tree is properly planted on their private property: at least 10 feet from buildings, 5 feet from property lines, 5 feet from pavement edges, 20 feet from streetlights and other trees, 30 feet from corner curbs, and 10 feet from underground utilities. You can view property lines and underground utilities at the Mercer Island GIS Portal.
• Trees should be purchased and planted between October 1 and April 1 to allow for plant establishment in the rainy season.
• Trees should be watered 1-2 times weekly in the first two dry seasons after planting.
• Trees should be planted using best practices.
• The City of Mercer Island is not responsible or liable for any future damages caused by trees planted through this program.
• Always call 811 before you dig. Call 811 or visit callbeforeyourdig.org to request a free utility locate. This will locate your gas, cable, and electric lines. 811 will not locate your sewer or water service lines. You may view the approximate location of these lines on the Mercer Island GIS Portal.
• When you’re done planting, send a photo of the planted tree to urbanforestry@mercerisland.gov.