The city of McMinnville seeks to add to the healthy tree canopy in Warren County. Free tree seedlings will be available this Saturday, March 19.

The city of McMinnville will be giving away 100 tree seedlings in celebration of Tennessee Tree Day. Those will be available at Milner Recreation Center’s front lower parking lot from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Available, while supplies last and on a first-come, first-serve basis, will be Virginia Pine, Bald Cypress, Gray Dogwood and Eastern Redbud. Limit of two trees per household. 

“The purpose of this activity is to instill public awareness of the value of trees, to improve the health of our environment and communities through the multitude of benefits trees offer, and to nurture a culture of sustainability in our region,” said Community Development Department 

stormwater manager Lyndon Bussell, who organized the event with assistance from the Community Engagement Committee. 

Trees have a direct impact on the management of stormwater. 

“Trees provide an excellent utility for stormwater,” said Bussell. “By giving away 100 trees, we can increase the amount of runoff that is intercepted and stored, increase the stability of soil surfaces, slow the travel of runoff, and enhance our water quality just by getting these trees in the ground.”

Tree Day is a state-wide annual event. Since 2007, those events have mobilized over 60,000 Tennessee residents in planting 741,960 native trees in Tennessee and surrounding states.

City employees will be present to assist homeowners in picking out the trees best for their needs and to answer planting and maintenance questions that come with planting a bare-root tree seedling.