How Upstate residents can get free trees through TreesUpstate and Duke Energy program
As trees begin to bloom, Upstate residents who want to add more greenery to their yard can receive two trees for free.
TreesUpstate, an organization dedicated to planting and protecting trees in the northwestern part of South Carolina, is partnering with Duke Energy to give out trees through April as part of the Energy Saving Trees Giveaway Program to help strengthen tree coverage and assist residents with energy savings.
Research has shown that adding native trees to your yard can help local ecosystems thrive, provide shade in the summer months and even help save energy costs needed to cool your home. Over the next 20 years, TreesUpstate estimates the 4,000 trees from this year’s program will save Upstate homeowners $1.7 million in energy costs and remove more than 11,000 pollutants from the air.
Program Director Kylie Stackis said the organization is dedicated to helping homeowners plant the right tree in the right place.
“Having a shade tree in the right area during the summer months, that can reduce your air conditioning costs because it's helping to cool the building.” Stackis said. “Having evergreen trees block cold winter winds -- that can help reduce your heating bill in the winter months.”
TreesUpstate has partnered with Duke Energy to fund the program since 2016. Since the program began, they’ve given away more than 21,000 trees to Upstate residents.
How can I get a tree?
Residents of Oconee, Anderson, Pickens, Greenville, and Spartanburg counties can receive two trees per household at giveaway events.
There are four remaining events this year:
Saturday, April 6 at Hub City Market in Spartanburg
Tuesday, April 16 at University of South Carolina Upstate in Spartanburg
Saturday, April 20 at East Riverside Park in Greer
Saturday, April 27 at Macedonia Baptist Church in Spartanburg
Each event has 13 different species of trees available that are native to the Upstate, including trees like white oaks, tulip poplars and sweetbay magnolias. A full list of species is available on the TreesUpstate website. People who want to reserve specific trees can pre-register for one of the events. Each event also has a variety of first-come first-serve trees available. If you don’t know which tree you want, Stackis said each tree has species information listed and staff members and volunteers are available to help.
“The information we have available tells about whether the trees tolerate flooding, tolerate drought, the mature height and width of the tree, if the tree has any noticeable fall color or spring color, and then there's some photos of the trees as well,” she said.
The trees are in small containers that will fit in cars. Once people have picked out the trees they want, a volunteer will help them load the trees into their car and provide planting and care instructions. Stackis reminded new tree owners to call 811 before they begin digging on their property.
How do I make the most of my new tree?
To estimate energy savings each year and find the optimal spot to place the tree, Stackis recommends using a software developed by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service called “i-Tree.”
Users can add their address and outline their home, then select the type of tree, how much sunlight it gets and what condition it’s in. Once they’ve done that, the program will show the optimal spot for the tree, as well as help estimate energy savings, stormwater runoff protection, air quality and carbon reduction.
Each tree includes planting and care instructions for its new owner. Stackis recommends planting it sooner than later. Once trees begin to bud, transitioning to a new spot is harder for them, so it’s best to plant them in winter months or earlier in the spring, she said.
“Once the trees have budded out, it's already expended a lot of its energy creating leaves, creating new growth, and so there's not a lot of energy left to have to focus on root growth and to focus on adjusting to that new home,” she said.
Trees planted later in the season might need more water and more care to help them adjust.
What is tree canopy? Why do we need it?
Tree canopy is a term that refers to the mature crown, or leaves, of trees and the benefits they provide.“When we talk about tree canopy, we're talking about our green infrastructure,” Stackis said.
Having a strong tree canopy can help manage stormwater, increase air quality and provide shade to cool the area when it’s hot out, which can help keep residents healthy.
Rapid development across the region can mean trees are cut down, weakening the canopy. In the Upstate, Stackis said many of the trees are also aging. Planting new trees can help ensure that the benefits of trees continue for years to come.
Stackis said that the organization typically works in public spaces with cities and municipalities, but the Energy Saving Trees Giveaway is a way to get residents involved in canopy protection and energy savings.
“When we're doing projects at TreesUpstate or with our partners, in the municipalities and counties that we work with, we're limited in terms of where we can plant trees. There's only so much public land,” Stackis said. “Being able to work with private property owners and plant trees at homes, and then have these additional energy saving benefits, it's very special and kind of helps us complete this whole picture.”
More information about the program, along with registration links, is available on TreesUpstate’s website.
Sarah Swetlik covers climate change and environmental issues in South Carolina's Upstate for The Greenville News. Reach her at sswetlik@gannett.com or on X at @sarahgswetlik.
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This article originally appeared on Greenville News: TreesUpstate and Duke Energy host tree giveaways in Spartanburg, Greer
