400 Trees for the 400th

if you have already signed up to receive a "400 Trees for the 400th" program tree, before pick-up on Sat Apr 8 you might want to review the types of trees available and think about what might work best for your location. Go to this illustrated guide and if there's something you really want, plan to arrive early for the best selection. First come, first served.

 

The National Arbor Day Foundation has named Portsmouth a “Tree City” for more than 20 consecutive years, thanks to annual efforts to plant and care for the City's urban forest of more than 15,000 trees. Fittingly, in 2023, the City will celebrate Portsmouth’s 400th anniversary by planting 400 trees.

In 1876, the City of Portsmouth celebrated the nation's 100th birthday with the dedication of Langdon Park on the bank of South Mill Pond and the planting of 100 trees by the community. For the 400th, the City again welcomes local citizens to take part in the project.

The Department of Public Works will plant 400 trees: the 100 that are part of the usual annual enhancement of the City's urban forest, an additional 100 trees donated by Portsmouth Rotary to in celebration of its 100th anniversary in 2023 and 200 more trees that will be made available to local residents.

DPW and the State Urban Forestry Center have placed an order for 200 trees, divided in lots of four different varieties selected for their suitability for City neighborhoods. Residents (first come, first served) who agree to plant and care for one of these trees will receive a cloth bag containing a 4-to-6 foot sapling, an appropriate amount of compost to help prepare the ground for the tree and instructions on planting and caring for the new tree in whatever location on their property they choose.

Residents interested in receiving one of these trees for planting on their private property should sign up using the form above. They will be notified in April, once a date is selected for a tree-planting workshop and pickup at the Urban Forestry Center.

Go to more information about the City’s urban forest and its Tree Protection and Planting guidelines.