CINCINNATI — Since 1988, Cincinnati Parks has given away more than 27,000 trees for free.
It's part of its Fall ReLeaf Program, with the goal of growing the city's tree canopy.
Garrett Dienno with Cincinnati Parks said canopy coverage is vital for neighborhoods.
"They're the lungs that clean our air, they keep the stormwater from being as bad as it would ordinarily be and they're aesthetically pleasing," Dienno said.
The program is targeting neighborhoods with less than 40% tree canopy coverage. That includes neighborhoods like Oakley, Madisonville, Bond Hill and Walnut Hills.
You can find a full list of the high-priority neighborhoods on the Cincinnati Parks website.
WATCH: Find out how you can get a free tree and why Cincinnati Parks is prioritizing neighborhoods with less tree canopy:
"Forty percent was kind of determined to be that threshold at which you get the most benefits, while also not negatively impacting infrastructure and the other things that make the city a city," Dienno said.
Howard Miller with the city's Office of Environment and Sustainability said tree canopy helps reduce the impacts of air pollution, stormwater and extreme heat.
"(There's a) 5 up to 10-degree difference between a location that has 10% tree canopy and 50% tree canopy," Miller said.
Between 2010 and 2020, the city's tree canopy increased by 5%.
Miller said it also improves quality of life for residents, which he said, in turn, can have an economic impact.
"Businesses want to be in cities that are resilient," Miller said. "If people want to come to Cincinnati, businesses are going to want to come to Cincinnati."
The program has several types of trees available for residents.
Applications are now open to all Cincinnati residents who are interested. Tree pickup will be held at MadTree Brewing in mid-October.
