UPDATE: As warmer weather makes its way to the Scenic City, hundreds of Chattanoogans got a head start to spring.

Participants collectively got to rehome more than 1,000 trees and bushes from Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center, sponsored by EPB and the City of Chattanooga.

“It’s fun to see a lot of people share that this has become kind of an annual tradition for their family,” says Lauren Russek, Lead Naturalist at the nature center.

The Free Tree Re-Leaf Program is held twice a year—once in the spring and once in the fall.

Russek shares trees have many benefits other than landscaping. “They help prevent and mitigate stormwater,” she says. Russek says larger trees can help reduce heat and even “help lower energy costs.”

There were 13 different types of trees and bushes available. All of the types were local to the Tennessee Valley area.

Russek says that this is her first time experiencing the event as a staff member.

“Having three different entities or groups of people coming together with this kind of shared interest and vision to make this program happen is reflective of just the general interest in supporting kinds of green initiatives,” says Russek.

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PREVIOUS STORY: All EPB customers and Chattanooga residents are eligible to take home two free native trees from Reflection Riding’s Native Plant Nursery, starting Saturday, March 14. 

Thanks to a collaboration between the EPB Energy ProsSM, the City of Chattanooga, and Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center, neighbors can prepare for spring with the semi-annual Free Tree ReLeaf program.

13 nursery-grade native varieties will be available:

• American Beech (Fagus grandifolia)

• Carolina Silverbell (Halesia carolina)

• Chestnut Oak (Quercus prinus)

• Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana)

• Elliott’s Blueberry (Vaccinium elliottii)

• Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)

• Fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus)

• Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)

• Post Oak (Quercus stellata)

• Serviceberry (Amenchelior arborea)

• Sweet Pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia)

• Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)

• Yaupon Holly (IIex vomitoria)

You can find details about the available trees, as well as planting guides, on EPB’s website.