City residents: Request a free tree for your street or front yard

City residents can enjoy the benefits of having a tree nearby — the shade, the twittering of birds, the rustle of the wind — thanks to a partnership between the New Haven Urban Resources Initiative (URI), a not-for-profit group affiliated with Yale’s School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, and the City of New Haven’s Parks, Recreation, and Trees Department.

Upon request, GreenSkills crews from URI will plant trees on New Haven residents’ curb strip or front yard free of charge. In return, the residents must commit to watering the tree (or trees). Each tree needs 25 gallons of water per week during the growing seasons (from bud-break to leaf-drop) for the first three years. 

Use this online form  to request a tree. The GreenSkills team will contact you to discuss tree species and location in the order your request was received.

URI’s GreenSkills program provides meaningful paid work experience to youths and adults transitioning back to the labor force.