Santa Fe Standard

Santa Fe County is partnering with Neighborhood Forest, a nonprofit organization based in Minneapolis, to provide free trees to 100,000 children across the United States in celebration of Earth Day 2025. This initiative aims to enhance community beauty and increase the tree canopy for a healthier environment.

Families are encouraged by Santa Fe County to plant these trees either in their backyards or at meaningful community locations. The goal is for children to form a lifelong connection with nature while learning about environmental stewardship. "Planting and caring for a tree is a simple yet powerful action that contributes to cleaner air, cooler neighborhoods, and a greener future," said the Sustainability Division.

The Santa Fe County Sustainability Division has registered as a coordinator for this program. Parents and guardians can sign up on behalf of their children to receive a free tree by March 15, 2025. Recipients will be given basic care guidelines to ensure the trees thrive in the local arid climate and drought conditions.

Students who receive trees are encouraged to create art expressing their gratitude, which may be featured on the Neighborhood Forest website. Trees will be distributed around Earth Day (April 22-30, 2025) by the Santa Fe County Sustainability Division. Schools, libraries, and youth organizations are also invited to participate in receiving free trees for students.

Jacqueline Beam, Sustainability Manager at Santa Fe County, can be contacted for more information at jybeam@santafecountynm.gov.