Tree Give-a-Ways and Programs

Thinking about buying a new tree for your yard?  Before you buy, check out the Village's tree give-a-way event(s).  Tequesta has several programs which provide residents with Florida-friendly trees for free. 

Why would the Village spend money on providing trees free of charge to residents?  It's simple!  The more people we have planting trees, the more people we have working to achieve our goal of repairing our tree canopy in the Village.  Expanding our urban canopy and maintaining the health of our tree population is a top priority. Trees are one of our major lines of defense against the damage from greenhouse gas emissions and the heat island effect.  Canopy cover cools our streets, cleanses our air, expands wildlife habitats, prevents soil erosion to help manage our floodplain, and beautifies our Village.

We invite our residents to participate in any or all of the programs listed here.  Please remember to bring your proof of residency to all events.

Donate to the Tree Fund

Purpose:  The Tree Donation Policy provides a framework to guide the donation and placement of trees within the Village-owned property in the Village of Tequesta. 

The objectives of the Policy are to:

• Inform the community about the Village’s process of receiving tree donations
• Provide for a tax-deductible contribution to the Village's tree canopy system
• Support the community to actively participate in increasing the quantity and quality of the Village’s tree system with native species

Scope: The Policy applies to all Village Right-of-Way and Parks in the Village of Tequesta.

Financial Mechanism: Donations to the Village’s Tree Donation Program will be to fund a dedicated sinking fund for received community tree donations. Village staff will utilize this fund to purchase trees from a nursery for planting within the Village’s park system and Village-owned Right of Way. All donations to this fund may be considered tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Policy Description: The Tree Donation program provides individuals and organizations with the opportunity to honor people, commemorate special events, or generally support the Village’s tree system by planting trees in Village Parks and/or appropriate areas within Village-owned Right of Way. A resident or business owner’s donation may be considered tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law and will be used to purchase trees planted in the Village’s park system, street swale areas, or other public property. 

As part of this tree donation policy, markers or plaques are not allowed to be placed by the tree, however, the Village will host a presentation at the tree location with the donor at their request. Any donation to this fund is welcomed and appreciated.  For those who donate the cost of a whole tree, the Village will provide a certificate of recognition for the donation to the Tree Fund. 

The Village will accept tree donation requests year-round, however, trees will only be planted in the season that gives the trees the best chance to survive. Through communication between Village staff and the donor, an approved native species will be chosen. The donor may provide their preference for a park, right-of-way location, or other public property, which staff will consider, however that preference is not guaranteed. Deciduous trees will be at least two (2) inches in diameter (approximately ten (10) to twelve (12) feet tall) and evergreen trees will be five (5) to six (6) feet in height. The cost of an individual tree(s) will be based on current pricing from local nurseries, and may vary due to species, size, and time of purchase. A typical tree costs approximately $250.00. Donations are accepted via check made out to the Village of Tequesta (with Tree Fund written in the memo line).

Staff Contact: For more information about the Tree Donation Program and to coordinate a donation, please contact: Greg Corbitt, Leisure Services Director, (561) 768-0473 or email. 

Adopt a Tree

Through the Adopt-a-Tree Program, the Village is able to form a partnership with concerned residents to improve our Village streets. Tequesta through the Adopt a Tree Program, will provide and install a variety of trees (8-12' OA height) to homeowners for the swale area (the grassy strip between the pavement and the sidewalk) adjacent to their property. The resident must then water the tree and care for it moving forward. Village of Tequesta homeowners who are interested in participating, can get more information and complete an application.