Our Branching Out residential tree partnership program officially wrapped in June with 5000 trees going to new homes.
Registration for the trees took place in April with each quadrant of the city having a designated week to apply. This year, we allocated the same number of trees to each quadrant as in 2024; 1000 each to the northwest and southwest and 1500 each to the northeast and southeast. As the northeast and southeast include areas with the lowest tree canopy in the city, they are allocated more trees as we work toward a more equitable distribution of trees across Calgary.
Once registration opened for each quadrant, applications came in faster than any previous year in the Branching Out program’s history. The trees allocated for northwest Calgary went the quickest with all trees spoken for in an unbelievable six minutes. Northeast Calgary registration showed the biggest improvement since last year – in 2024, there were still trees left a week after registration opened. This year, all the trees were spoken for in under an hour.
Tree pickup events were held over two weekends in June, with City of Calgary Parks & Open Spaces staff onsite to help many hundreds of Calgarians find their new trees each day. Staff also handed out information on planting and watering new trees, and helped the new tree owners load up mulch, which was also provided onsite. At the end of each weekend, any leftover trees that hadn’t been picked up were given away on a first come, first served basis – this proved to be a popular option for folks who hadn’t been able to secure a tree during the very busy quadrant registrations. We’re pleased to report that everyone who lined up at each ‘first come, first served’ opportunity was able to take home a new tree.
Some happy new tree owners shared feedback with staff using an online survey shared via QR code at the pickup events, including:
- “The staff was so friendly and knowledgeable when we picked up the trees, this program was so amazing. Thank you to all the wonderful city workers who helped with this program.”
- “Thanks for having such a wonderful program for the citizens of Calgary. A great way to increase the urban canopy and such a varied selection.”
- “This is a great project! The registration and the emails explaining the process were easy to understand and provided great information. The staff was helpful, and pickup was smooth”
- “Very well organized, efficient, and fast. I was expecting hours in a lineup but was in and out quickly”
The program was even more wildly popular this year than expected and we were blown away by the demand. “We love to see how dedicated Calgarians are to help grow our urban canopy,” said Alan Joiner, Urban Forestry Superintendent for Calgary Parks and Open Spaces. “We understand that registration for some quadrants went so quickly that there were people who hoped to secure a tree but unfortunately were unsuccessful. We want to try to ensure that everyone who wants a tree will receive one. So, we are happy to announce that in 2026 we will be providing even more trees for Calgarians. While the exact number isn’t confirmed, we are looking to supply a lot more trees to go to new homes.”
We’re excited for another successful Branching Out in 2026 and want to say a huge thank you to Calgarians for helping grow our urban canopy!
Information for Branching Out 2026 will be shared in late February/early March 2026 at calgary.ca/BranchingOut.
