Vancouver Park Board invites residents to adopt a tree

With a warmer than average June and July forecasted for Vancouver External website, opens in new tab, the Vancouver Park Board is encouraging residents to adopt young street trees in their neighbourhood and keep it watered. The Adopt-a-Tree program supports the establishment of young trees that are less than five years old as Vancouver works to grow the area of its tree canopy by 30% by 2050. 

“Trees are Vancouver’s hardest-working infrastructure,” said Vancouver Park Board Chair, Laura Christensen. “They provide shade and cooling during heat and slow the flow of rainfall into storm drains to prevent flooding. They also clean our air, support wildlife and make Vancouver more livable. If we want trees to take care of us, we need to take care of them.” 

During watering restrictions trees can be hand watered anytime or between 5am and 9am any day of the week if using a sprinkler. To sign up visit vancouver.ca/adopt-a-tree and view an interactive map with trees available for adoption. You will also find videos and instructions on how to care for your tree.  In-person sign-up opportunities will also be available through June. Watering bags will be provided to new adopters while supplies last.  

“Extra watering for young trees will contribute to a stronger, healthier urban forest,” said Amit Gandha, Director of Parks. “During the hotter and drier months our crews are watering trees throughout the city. However, young trees in particular need some extra help as they don’t have the big root systems of older trees and require more water while they try to establish. Ensuring the success of our newly planted trees is vital as we work to increase our tree canopy, particularly in neighbourhoods like Strathcona, Sunset and the Downtown Core.”  

Vancouver has made strong progress in growing its canopy, with current city-wide coverage at 25% - a four per cent increase since 2013. Achieving 30% canopy coverage is ambitious, but achievable for Metro Vancouver’s most developed and densely populated city.   

Every year the Park Board plants about 2,000 new street trees in addition to over 50,000 new trees that have been planted in Stanley Park over the last two years. Trees are one of Vancouver’s most important tools for adapting to climate change, but trees themselves are vulnerable to climate change impacts like longer periods of hotter, drier weather. Adopters will care for their trees from June to September when it hasn’t rained for at least four days. While residents can’t adopt mature trees, watering all street trees is helpful during dry periods.