Tag: #MyKDBTree

Photos from 2017 Community Tree Giveaway

A majority of Tree Giveaway participants felt the event was seemless. There is a lot going on behind the scenes to make it so.

Most involved reported finding the event gratifying. After all, each tree is improving air quality, increasing land value, and contributing positively to quality of life. (For more about tree benefits check out our Denton tree initiative page.)

Tree giveaway volunteers arrive at 6 a.m. to help the event go smoothly.

Everyone gathers around,

and is instructed about their jobs for the day.

The event is held at the City of Denton Landfill. The entire drive-through takes an estimate of 20 minutes.

This time isn’t idle, though; enthusiastic volunteers answer questions about planting, sell t-shirts, and interview drivers.

We even have a tree expert (treexpert?) on hand to answer planting questions. Meet Steve Geer from Tree Shepherds!

Once a volunteer has verified your registration, they direct you to the proper pick up line to recieve your tree.

Then, they load your tree in the back of your vehicle, no matter the size.

Participants receive tree care package, including a tree planting handbook and a coupon for free Dino Dirt.

Our t-shirts this year were ‘shady’. If you would like your own, check out our ‘Shop’ page.

Tree Giveaway is KDB staff’s favorite event, and we think the community loves it too. But don’t take our word for it. Here’s what they had to say.

For some, it’s a way of leaving a positive mark on the Earth, like Molly Pitcher, an advisor for UNT’s college of science. It was her first time at Tree Giveaway for a tree for her new home because she wants to “do something that makes this home my own.” She thinks that the community giveaway exemplifies that the Denton community as a bastion for the environment. (not pictured)

Some planters anticipate the event for months ahead of time, like Roy Gonzales, a jazz musician from UNT. He woke up early on registration day because he wanted a Little Gem Magnolia. His early alarm clock paid off, and he was excited to receive his tree.

Tree Giveaway is a family friendly event,

and pet friendly, too!

Woody Evans, a librarian at TWU, says Tree Giveaway is a good example of the character of Denton. He compared it to a quote by Joe Biden: “don’t tell me what you value. Show me your budget, and I’ll tell you what you value.”

The last cars begin arriving at 11 a.m..

All the moving and grooving that the volunteers do,

is sure to work up quite an appetite.

Thankfully, Palio’s pizza donated enough food to nourish the masses.

The Community Tree Giveaway was a success! We love hearing your stories. If you had a good experience with tree giveaway or your own tradition, please email sam@kdb.org to share your our story and a photo with your tree, or if you would like a photograph taken of you at the event. If you’re interested in volunteering, mark your calendar for the volunteer registration next September. And, of course, the next Community Tree Giveaway registration opens mid September 2018, so don’t miss it. Thank you Wesley Kirk from The Beautiful Vision and KDB intern Samantha Hardisty for the photography.

By: Samantha Hardisty

2 years ago

Tree Giveaway Pre-Event Workday 2016

October 20th was the Pre-Event Workday that we have every year in preparation for the Community Tree Giveaway. With the help of some awesome volunteers, we tag each individual tree with a personalized identification tag and sort all of the trees by species and participant last name. This year, we had approximately 700 trees to sort and tag. Can you imagine how long that would take KDB’s tiny staff of three people? The Our volunteers were so amazing and kicked it into gear as soon as they arrived. What we had planned would take 4 hours, actually took 3! That’s how hard these individuals worked. We couldn’t do what we do without the help of our amazing volunteers!

This year we also piloted these custom-made tree boxes, made of old pallets taken to the landfill. The Solid Waste Dept. created these with the Tree Giveaway in mind, because the wind tends to blow our trees over before the event on Saturday. Since they on pallets, we were also able to move them with a fork lift! This was a major time-saver this year!

2 years ago

Oh, Say can you “Tree?” Learn more about this year’s Tree Rebate trees!

Planting trees this fall? The Tree Rebate Program is now up and running – but there are a few questions to answer before submitting your application for a $50 tree rebate.

Are you a Denton Municipal customer?
Will your tree be planted within Denton city limits?
Did you purchase a tree from the list of qualifying tree species?
Did you purchase your tree(s) between September 1, 2016 and May 1, 2017?
Is your tree at least 5 gallons in size?
Did your tree cost $50 or more (including taxes)?

If you answered yes to ALL of the questions above, you could qualify for a Tree Rebate! If your application is accepted, a $50 credit per tree (up to five trees) will be applied directly to your Denton Municipal Utility bill. To learn more about this program and how to apply, visit www.dentontreerebates.com.

Meet the Trees of the Tree Rebate Program

Large Trees

Bald Cypress Taxodium distichum
Blackjack Oak Quercus marilandica
Burr Oak Quercus macrocarpa
Cedar Elm Ulmus crassifolia
Chinkapin Oak Quercus muhlenbergii
Lacebark Elm Ulmus parvifiolia
Live Oak Quercius virginiana
Pecan Carya illinoensis
Red Oak (Shumard) Quercus shumardii
Red Oak (Texas) Quercus buckleyi

Medium/Small Trees

Desert Willow Chilopsis linearis
Dogwood Cornus florida
Eve’s Necklace Sophora affinis
Mexican Buckeye Ungnadia speciosa
Mexican Plum Prunus Mexicana
Mexican White Oak Quercus polymorpha
Possum-haw Holly Ilex decidua
Redbud (Texas) Cercis canadensis
Soapberry Sapindus drummondii
TX Mountain Laurel Sophora secundiflora
Vitex Vitex agnus-castus
Wax Myrtle Myrica cerifera
Yaupon Holly Ilex vomitoria

So why these trees? Well, these species were hand-selected for many reasons. Firstly, all trees are native or adapted to our specific ecological regions, the Eastern Cross Timbers and Blackland Prairie. This means they will survive and thrive in the extremes of cold and hot weather here in North Texas. By planting these trees, you help propagate our native and adapted tree species for future generations, conserve precious water resources, provide food and habitats for native wildlife, and ensure that your trees live for years to come (with less maintenance and watering, which we all love!).

Where to Buy Trees

There are several locations to purchase trees that qualify for the Tree Rebate. Listed below are locations that currently carry one or more the qualifying tree species. These businesses are not endorsed by Keep Denton Beautiful, Inc. or City of Denton.

Calloway’s Nursery	1601 Dallas Dr. Denton, TX 76205	(940) 591-8865
Four Seasons Nursery	3333 E University Dr. Denton, TX 76208	(940) 566-2172
Hartwell’s Nursery	1507 N Stemmons Fwy. Lewisville, TX 75057	(972) 436-3612
Home Depot Denton	1900 Brinker Rd, Denton, TX	(940) 243-0808
Lowe’s Denton	1255 S. Loop 288, Denton, TX	(940) 320-1938
Meador Nursery	2612 Fort Worth Dr. Denton, TX 76205	(940) 382-2638
Noles Enterprises	2712 James St, Denton, TX 76205	(940) 566-0700

The Tree Rebate Program is part of the Denton Tree Initiative. Help us to reach our goal of planting 12,000 trees by 2019! Read more about additional opportunities for tree planting and tree education through the Denton Tree Initiative at www.dentontreeinitiative.com.

Questions about the Tree Rebate Program? Contact KDB at (940) 349-8737 or info@kdb.org.