How Ohioans can get a free tree to fight an invasive species

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A local nonprofit is working to give away over 1,500 free trees to Ohioans this fall, encouraging residents to replace their Bradford pears and other non-native species. 

Friends of the Lower Olentangy Watershed is a nonprofit organization that helps protect a 32-mile stretch of the Olentangy River, spanning from Delaware County to where the Olentangy meets the Scioto River. 

“We help protect the river itself and the land surrounding it, so this includes areas like Clintonville, Columbus, Linden, Delaware County, Upper Arlington and we do this through tree plantings, litter pickups, water quality testing, and just a bunch of different community events to try to protect the environment,” said fellow Josephine Cacciato. 

In recent years, native trees have been pushed out of their environment by invasive species such as Bradford pear trees, according to the organization. The tree, known for its unpleasant scent, damages Ohio’s habitats by destroying native ecosystems and plants.

The nonprofit, which has held the giveaway for the past three years, hopes to promote native species such as American Beech and sweetgum trees in central Ohio. Both residents and institutions such as schools and churches can apply to receive one or more trees through the giveaway, but those who enter must be located along the Olentangy watershed. 

“We have over 20 species, mostly tree species, but we have about five species of shrub for places that can't have plants that are as big or as tall, so there's a list available,” Cacciato said. “These are all native Ohio trees, so we're very connected to promoting native species in Ohio because they're much better for the environment and support the species we have here in our ecosystem.”

The organization is also looking for “tree ambassadors” who would take responsibility for a limited number of trees (15 for example) and distribute them to neighbors through word of mouth or social media.  

If an individual removes an invasive species such as a Bradford pear from their yard, they can receive an extra tree, but it is not required to enter the giveaway. 

“Bradford pear trees recently became illegal in Ohio, so we're asking people to just check in their yard,” Cacciato said. “They're really very invasive and they spread very quickly. So we're just asking if you do have one, remove it and then we can give you an additional tree as well.”

Another main reason the nonprofit is holding the giveaway is to further develop tree canopies in the Columbus area, Cacciato said. A tree canopy is a part of a city that is shaded by trees, also described as the layer of branches and leaves that cover the ground when viewed from above.

“Because Columbus is developing so much, it's one of the most rapidly growing urban heat islands in the country, and urban heat islands are just a space where there's so much focus and there's a lot of people and energy that temperatures rise and they can rise by 10s of degrees, for example,” Cacciato said. “Neighborhoods with less tree canopy can be up to 10 degrees hotter on the same time as day as one with better tree canopy.”

Cacciato said the free trees will have been raised in a nursery for a month and will be in “pretty strong condition,” but advised that the first year of a tree’s life is the most important. Those who participate should make sure they are protecting and watering their new tree, she said. 

Residents and institutions who want to enter the giveaway or become a tree ambassador must fill out a form and the organization will reserve their trees. Tree pickup will take place on Oct. 12 at Worthington Tree Nursery and Oct. 19 at Weinland Park Tree Nursery.