Got Trees? Get $10 Cherry Trees, Magnolias and More at Vancouver Tree Week, April 2-10

Photo credit: Canuckdon |Wikipedia

Feeling a little tree envy? During the spring, Vancouver streets and yards are filled with blossoming beauties: cherry and plum trees, magnolias and lilacs and more.

Now, a unique offering from the Vancouver Park Board is allowing Vancouver residents to take some of those gorgeous hardwoods home with them, for a bargain price.  As part of Vancouver Tree Week, April 2-April 10, residents can purchase some 22 varieties of trees from the city park board for the bargain price of $10 each. Considering that many of these trees normally sell for $75 or up, that’s a deep discount.

It’s all part of an effort to restore the city’s dwindling tree canopy. Over the last 20 years, the amount of city land covered by canopy has dropped from 22 percent to 18 percent, according to the Vancouver Sun.  For a metropolis aiming to be the “world’s greenest city” by 2020, that’s a disturbing trend. One of the primary culprits: the loss of trees on private property. 

Photo credit: Eviator Bach | Wikipedia

To combat that decline, the park board is encouraging home owners to plant trees of their own, while also showcasing the many benefits that local trees bring as part of Vancouver Tree Week. Interested buyers can log onto the Tree Week site to pre-order the various varieties, with a max of three trees per person. (Spoiler alert: More than 3,000 trees have already been sold online and at the time of writing only a few varieties were still in stock.) Some trees will also be available for purchase in-person at Hillcrest Centre on April 2 and Trout Lake Community Centre on April 10.

If you need help deciding which type of tree is for you, there’s even a handy Treelationship tool. By answering a series of questions on tree size, sunlight, maintenance requirements and other factors, you get a customized recommendation for one of four main types of trees: “fruity foodie,” “tall, cool and handsome,” “constant companion,” or “all natural beauty.”

Photo credit: Kenneth Leung | Flickr

Apart from the tree sales, dozens of separate events are being held over Vancouver Tree Week, April 2-April 10. Nature lovers can go on guided tree walks at UBC, Stanley Park, Queen Elizabeth Park and other locations. Or learn about edible and medicinal trees, take part in a community reforestation effort, explore canopy wildlife and more on unique (and free) tours. See the full lineup of events here.