Miami-Dade County to hold its final Adopt-a-Tree giveaway of the season on September 24

The Adopt-a-Tree program will hold its final free tree giveaway of the season at 9 a.m. on Saturday, September 24, at the Dennis C. Moss Cultural Arts Center (formerly the South Dade Cultural Arts Center), located at 10950 SW 211 Street, Cutler Bay, FL 33189.

Single-family and duplex homeowners who live in Miami-Dade County qualify to receive two free trees and will be able to choose from a variety of tree species, including Jackfruit, Carambola, Locustberry, Jamaican Caper, Crabwood and Firebush on a first come, first served basis. To save time, pre-registration is available; however, it does not guarantee trees or tree preferences as supplies run out.

This is a great opportunity for homeowners to create or replenish their tree canopy. Experts will be onsite to show participants how to properly plant and care for their new trees. With over a month left of the Atlantic Hurricane Season, more rainfall is expected here in South Florida. Trees are one of the best ways to absorb excess rainwater. Trees also provide many other benefits such as removing significant amounts of carbon dioxide from the air, providing habitats for wildlife, and increasing a property's value. 

The Water and Sewer Department will also be on site to provide residents with high-efficiency showerheads and compact fluorescent lightbulbs in exchange for their old showerheads and incandescent light bulbs (while supplies last). Miami-Dade Animal Services will also have pets available for adoption.

Additionally, community service hours are available for students who volunteer to work an Adopt-a-Tree event.

The Adopt-a-Tree program was created in 2001 by the Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources, Division of Environmental Resources Management (DERM), to help improve the tree canopy of Miami-Dade County. Since then, more than 200,000 free trees have been given away to the community.

For additional information, including the eligibility requirements, visit the Adopt-a-Tree website or call 311.

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