Denver Digs Trees

Entering its 18th year, the Denver Digs Trees program supports residents in cultivating a greener, healthier, more livable urban environment. The program provides Denver residents with affordable trees for planting on both public and private property.

We offer two distributions – spring and fall, offering a variety of tree species appropriate for Colorado’s climate and the urban environment. These low cost trees are available to all residents of Denver and are free to residents in our 23 target neighborhoods. These target neighborhoods face particularly low canopy cover and include: Athmar Park, Baker, Barnum, Barnum West, Chaffee Park, Clayton, Cole, Elyria-Swansea, Five Points, Globeville, Jefferson Park, Lincoln Park, Montbello, Northeast Park Hill, Ruby Hill, Skyland, Sunnyside, Sun Valley, Valverde, Villa Park, West Colfax, Westwood, and Whittier.

YOU can apply for one or more trees! Apply for a Spring Street Tree, a Fall Yard Tree, or both!

Spring Street Trees

Each spring, Denver Digs Trees offers affordable street trees, which are trees planted close to the curbside, often in the "tree lawn" between the sidewalk and curb. Street trees beautify our neighborhoods and improve our quality of life, including traffic calming, decreased crime, improved air and water quality, and enhanced property values.

Apply for a low-cost or free Street Tree today! Availability is limited and our deadline is final this year, so apply now!

Application Deadline: February 15

Spring Street Tree Application

Note: We hope to have our web-based application available in January. Until then, please download and read carefully this PDF version of the application. Then thoroughly complete and submit the application form (page 6) by email kim@theparkpeople.org, fax 303-722-8812, or mail (address below). You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this document.

After you submit your application, a Denver Digs Trees Site Inspector will visit your property to verify that your potential tree site meets city spacing requirements. If it does, the inspector will issue approval and mark the best planting site(s), and you will receive a confirmation letter in April. Residents who are approved for street trees are responsible for having utility lines checked prior to planting. Trees must be picked up on Saturday, April 17 (pick-up location information will be included in your confirmation letter).

Fall Shade Trees for Your Yard

This past fall, thanks to EnCana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc., we piloted a Shade Tree distribution that provided residents with large shade trees for their yards. A strategically planted shade tree can help you save money and fight global warming! The shade of a large tree can reduce the amount of energy needed to cool your home, which results in lower energy bills and less carbon released into the atmosphere. These trees also enhance property values, buffer noise, and provide shelter for birds and other wildlife.

The pilot program, which provided more than 1,000 trees to Denver residents, was such a success that we plan to make it a permanent part of the Denver Digs Trees program. Applications for next year’s private property shade trees will be available next summer.

After you’ve planted your tree(s), we encourage you to register your tree with the City's Mile High Million tree campaign. Click here and make your tree count!