Tree Options 

See this year's tree options in our 2024 Tree Guide.

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Use the guide and the information within the 'Planting Location Considerations' section below to choose the right tree for your space. If space allows, consider planting the largest tree for maximum community and environmental impact. Large trees do more to keep neighborhoods cool during the hottest days, manage stormwater runoff, support birds, and so much more!

Note: You are responsible for ensuring your planting location does not negatively impact utilities such as water and sewer lines and backyard power lines. See the Frequently Asked Questions section below for details on trees and utilities. 

Need Help Choosing a Tree?

Sign up for a site visit to help you choose the best tree for your space! 

Sign up for an in-person site visit if you would like:

• Support selecting a tree for your property or
• Want to be approved for up to 3 trees!

A King Conservation District staff member will come to you to look at your planting site and recommend the best tree(s) for your space. Site visits will take ~30 minutes and will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Complete the sign-up form between July 15-August 31 to request a free tree!
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We want to ensure we match you with the right tree for your space. To do this, we need you to complete a short online form to get details on your specific planting location (e.g., sun and soil conditions, presence of power lines, etc.) and your contact information. If you need help completing the form or would like a printed copy, contact sbruemmer@shorelinewa.gov or 206-801-2452.

Sign-up forms will be processed after the form closes on August 31. We anticipate a lot of interest in this program, so not everyone who signs up for a tree may get one.

Attending one in-person Tree Planting & Care Workshop is required to receive a tree. 

Our 2024 workshops will be on October 5 and 12 from 1-2 p.m. at Spartan Recreation Center (202 NE 185th Street, Shoreline, WA, 98155). You only need to attend one workshop. When you fill out the sign-up form, you will select the workshop option that works best for your schedule.

You will pick up your tree, water bag, and mulch immediately after completing the workshop, so expect to stay 20-30 minutes after the workshop ends to get your free tree and planting supplies. Please note you are responsible for transporting your tree from the workshop location to your home. Trees will be in 5-gallon and 7-gallon containers and are generally 5-7 feet tall. You may need to rent or borrow a pickup truck if you have a small vehicle.

Take what you learned at the Tree Planting & Care Workshop and plant your tree as soon as possible, ideally within 2 weeks! It just so happens that we give you your tree during the best season to plant it – fall! So please, do not leave your tree in a pot over winter.

If you are an individual with disabilities and need physical assistance to plant your tree, please contact Sarah Bruemmer at sbruemmer@shorelinewa.gov or 206-801-2452. Note: This service is performed by volunteers and is limited by volunteer availability.

Homeowners, renters, apartment complexes, townhomes, condos, schools, churches, and businesses can apply for a free tree as long as the property where the tree will be planted is located in Shoreline. 

• Attention renters! If you do not own your home, you need to ask the permission of the homeowner before applying for a tree. Young trees need regular summer watering through their first five years. If you do not plan to be at your home that long, consider how the young tree will receive the proper care it needs.
• Attention landlords! If you apply for trees for one of your rental properties, please consider future watering and maintenance. If you are unable to water the trees 2x/week during the summer months, please be sure your renter is willing.

You must also agree to the Communi-trees program requirements and confirm you will:

• carefully identify your planting location according to program guidelines (i.e., private property, does not interfere with utilities)
• choose tree species appropriate for your planting location;
• attend one Tree Planting & Care Workshop;
• safely transport your tree from the in-person workshop to your property;
• plant your tree at the location you indicated in my application;
• properly plant your tree in the ground within 2 weeks of receiving it;
• assume all future maintenance and responsibility for your tree (i.e., summer watering for at last 5 years, raking, pruning, mulching, etc.); and
• complete the follow-up survey emailed by Communi-trees staff at the end of the year.

No. We anticipate a lot of interest in this program. Signing for a tree does not guarantee you will receive one.

If we receive more sign-ups than we have trees available, program participants will be chosen at random when the sign-up form closes. Neighborhoods with low-tree canopy, increased heat impacts from climate change, and increased impacts from transportation projects will receive priority. This method allows us to distribute trees throughout the City equitably and provide the most significant public benefit. You may be placed on a waitlist if you are not immediately matched with a tree. 

To increase your chances of receiving a tree, consider planting a larger tree if space allows. 

Yes! However, you musk ask permission from the property owner before you sign up for a tree. Consider who will take care of the tree (i.e. pruning and watering) during the tree’s crucial establishment years (first 5 years after planting).

Yes, as long as the tree does not exceed 25 feet at maturity. If you plan to plant your tree in your backyard under high voltage powerlines, you must select an appropriate tree to be considered. Planting under power lines along streets or in right of ways is not permitted within this program.

Seattle City Light customers are expected to keep the line drop from pole to home or other buildings clear of trees and obstructions.

At least two days before you plan to dig, call 811 before you dig to have buried utility lines safely located. It's a FREE service paid for by the utility operators...and it's the law. Visit www.washington811.com for more information. Visibly mark your proposed planting location in white before the utility companies arrive. Utility companies will mark the location of your water, electric, communications, and gas lines.

You should know where your side sewer line is located before digging. Side sewer maps, white cards, and as-builts are not available to view online. Requests for a copy of a side sewer as-built for a residential property can be made by contacting the Wastewater Utility Division by email to ww@shorelinewa.gov. In most cases, a Utility Specialist can provide the location of the side sewer on the property. If the Utility Specialist is unable to fulfill a request for a side sewer permit within five business days, the Wastewater Utility Division will forward the request to the City Clerk’s Office to be processed under the City’s Public Records Request Policy. Plant your tree at least 10 feet away from your sewer line.

Call Before You Dig: 811 or (800) 424-5555

Our 2024 workshops will be on October 5 and 12 from 1-2 p.m. at Spartan Recreation Center (202 NE 185th Street, Shoreline, WA, 98155). You only need to attend one workshop. When you sign up, you will select the workshop option that works best for your schedule. You only need to attend one workshop.

If selected for a tree, you will pick up your tree, water bag, and mulch immediately after completing the Tree Planting & Care workshop. So expect to stay 20-30 minutes after it ends to get your free tree and planting supplies

You are responsible for transporting your tree from the pickup site to your home. Trees will be in 5- or 7-gallon containers and are generally 5-7 feet tall. You may need to rent or borrow a pickup truck if you have a small vehicle. Consider bringing a tarp or plastic to put down under the trees to protect the interior of the car. Staff will help you load your trees on the pick-up days, but you may need to make sure you have help to unload once you are home.