To celebrate Arbor Day and help boost tree canopy coverage, Tauranga City Council is holding its inaugural Free Tree Day.
This initiative offers residents the opportunity to receive one free native tree per household to plant on their property, a council statement said.
Free Tree Day is aimed at enhancing tree canopy coverage across Tauranga, supporting local biodiversity while providing a fun, whānau-friendly outdoor activity, the council said.
Tauranga has only 22 per cent tree canopy cover, with the council aiming to increase this to 30 per cent or more.
”We’re eager to engage with our community about the many benefits trees bring to our neighbourhoods, such as providing shade during hot summer days and shelter for native birdlife,” the council’s principal urban forester Mark Armistead said.