LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Between 2004 and 2012, Louisville lost the equivalent of more than 54,000 trees every year due to severe weather, disease and insects. Plus, when older trees died, they weren't being replaced.
Before the problem got any worse, TreesLouisville planted roots.
The organization plants and gives away thousands of trees each year to restore Louisville's tree canopy. Executive Director Cindi Sullivan said they've seen plenty of growth since the program really hit the ground running in 2015. Since then, they've given away more than 17,000 trees.
"I think raising that awareness and creating that education piece is really important to making people understand that they need to put those trees in their yard," Sullivan said.
Trees not only make areas beautiful - they also help with things like air quality, stormwater management, heat mitigation, energy saving and can be used as wildlife habitats.
TreesLouisville hosts free tree giveaways throughout the year, usually giving out around 350 trees at each event. In honor of Earth Day, the organization will be giving out tulip poplar saplings at West 6th Brewery in NuLu on Thursday, April 22 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
If you miss out on the free trees, Jefferson County residents can still get rewarded for purchasing trees and planting them in the community. Through the Tree Rebate Program, people can get $30 back per tree when they purchase up to three eligible shade trees. More information on the rebate program is available on the TreesLouisville website.
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