Drop-In Tree Planting Program

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Root for Trees offers public drop-in planting volunteer opportunities with no registration required.

Are you looking for a flexible volunteer opportunity? Root for Trees now offers public drop-in plantings with no registration required. Look at the schedule below for when and where these opportunities are available and join as an individual, pair or small group. Drop-in, plant and help to grow Edmonton’s urban forest.

Root for Trees provides:

Native tree seedlings
Shovels and gloves
Staff on site to talk about planting safety, how to plant your seedling, and to be available for questions

All the planting supplies will be ready on site.

people planting trees

Please wear comfortable clothing, dress for the weather and bring a bottle of water.

All individuals entering the planting area must wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes. If proper footwear is not worn, individuals will be unable to participate.

Plant material and equipment are available on a first come first serve basis, while supplies last.

Drop-in Schedule

Our 2024 season has come to an end. Please check back in the new year for our 2025 schedule!

Volunteer Information

What to Expect

Upon arrival, check in with Root for Trees staff on site. This involves signing our volunteer sign-in form. Staff will provide a site orientation including a safety talk and planting demonstration. Volunteers will then be provided with gloves, a shovel and plant material. Volunteers can drop-in and leave anytime during the scheduled time slots. Come and plant for 30 minutes, or a few hours. This differs from our registered programs, as groups pre-book their planting online and are planting for a scheduled time frame with their specific group.

Plant material and equipment are available on a first-come-first-serve basis. If all plant material is planted before the end of the scheduled drop-in program, staff will facilitate additional activities such as:

Weed pulling
Educational activities

Location

Each drop-in planting will have a preassigned location. Locations will rotate between all quadrants of the city. Please see the Drop-In Planting Site Map for site directions and parking information.

Planting Site Map

Training

All training is provided on-site. Root for Trees Program Leaders will be present to provide a planting demonstration, safety talk, and share interesting facts about Edmonton’s urban forest. All safety protocols communicated must be followed while volunteering.

Date and Time

Drop-in plantings are scheduled in three-hour increments and from available weekly from May to mid-October. Please check the drop-in schedule and choose a date, time and location that works for you.

Weather

Root for Trees will plant rain or shine! However, in the event of severe weather, plantings may be shortened or cancelled for staff and public safety.

Severe weather conditions that would necessitate cancellation include:

Thunderstorms or lightning
Temperature equal to or above 40°C, including the Humidex
Wind, including gusts, of over 45 km/h
An air quality health index (AQHI) of 7 or above

Cancellation Policy: The City of Edmonton retains the right to modify or cancel the planting in the case of inclement weather and/or public safety.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Supplied by the volunteer:

Sturdy, closed-toe footwear such as runners
Hat, sunglasses and long pants are recommended

Supplied by Root for Trees:

Clean gloves

Registered Group Tree Planting

An educational and fun experience facilitated by our Program Leaders. All plant material, shovels and gloves are provided by Root for Trees.

Contact Us

311 Contact Centre

Online	Contact 311 Online

If you are calling from outside of Edmonton: 780-442-5311

Phone	311
TTY	711