Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Gravette tree giveaway will take place Oct. 24
GRAVETTE — The city will be repeating its popular tree giveaway later this month.
In past years, the program provided numerous trees for planting in area citizens’ yards.
It has been announced that the city has again been awarded a grant from the Walton Family Foundation to enable it to provide the trees.
The trees will be given out at an event from 8 to 10 a.m. on the morning of Oct. 24. They will be distributed at the top of Old Town Park, on 110 Park Drive, and each will be in a three-to-five-gallon pot.
Interested persons will be able to choose from a variety of tree species, including moonglow pear, fuji apple, gala apple, autumn flame maple, tulip tree, Shumard oak, catalpa, sawtooth oak, Babylon weeping willow and Zuni crape myrtle.
Trees will be available on a first-come, first-served basis and limited to two per household. Proof of residency in the Gravette, including Hiwasse, is required.
This is the fourth consecutive year the Walton Family Foundation has given grants supporting efforts to bring new trees and shrubs to Northwest Arkansas.
This year the foundation will provide more than $900,000 in grants to help plant 930 trees and shrubs in Benton County. Gravette is among nine municipalities and the Bentonville Park Conservancy which will receive funding to add plantings, which will enhance livability, economic activity and outdoor recreation opportunities.
As the trees mature, communities will gain additional benefits including better air quality, increased shade, cleaner water, improved wildlife habitat and new local produce options.
To date, the foundation has provided funding for more than 10,000 new trees in Benton County. The plantings have helped boost interest in urban forestry, increased engagement in outdoor beautification efforts and improved shade along the region’s trails and the Razorback Greenway.