As we come out of spring and into the summer, we may be more aware of the sun than usual! With June featuring the longest days of the year, we can notice not only new growth on our neighborhood trees and shrubs, but also more daylight in which to enjoy them. The sun filters through the leaves of the urban forest and down to our sidewalks and our homes. It’s a reminder that we need sunlight as much as the trees do—just in different ways. Trees literally feed off of sunlight, using photosynthesis to convert carbon dioxide (a planet-warming gas) into glucose (for their growth) and oxygen (for ours!). Sunshine can have amazing health benefits, like helping us sleep better and supporting our mental health. Our journey from the depths of winter into the glorious PNW summer often feels long, and now is the time to soak up the sunshine and the gatherings that come with it. Wishing you all the well-deserved daylight of this joyful summer season!

If you’re thirsty, your tree is thirsty! Newly planted trees need water from April to October to grow healthy. Water wisely: deep, infrequent watering is better than frequent shallow sprinkling. Watering in the evening prevents water from evaporating over the course of the hot summer day. If your tree bag is draining immediately after it's filled it is because the ground is not yet fully saturated. We recommend you fill your tree bag multiple times a week until it starts to drain slowly over the course of a couple days. Then you can resume weekly watering. Don’t forget that a big mulch ring around the tree can help maintain moisture and suppress weeds that prevent water from penetrating the soil. Learn how to mulch here, and how to water here. If you notice a neighbor's tree needs water you can share these resources or even offer to support their watering routine.

Canopy Quest Game Night

A HUGE thank you to everyone who celebrated the board game launch with us on Saturday, June 6 to play Canopy Quest! We loved seeing everyone have fun, make new connections, and learn about urban tree planting! Your joy lit up the space and we’re deeply grateful for your excitement and support of this project, created by TTF’s very own Eden Standley, Outreach Specialist. If you missed the launch, don’t despair! TTF will be hosting more game nights over the next couple months. Learn about the development of Canopy Quest on our blog.

Tree Stewards Technical Training

Thanks to Tacoma Creates funding we were able to provide a more in-depth technical tree stewards training on June 20th, when we gathered at the Bryant Neighborhood Center with 14 community members to learn hands-on skills. The training focused on how to plant and care for healthy trees in our yards and neighborhoods. We talked about choosing the right tree for the right place, planting around important utilities, selecting native or climate-resilient species, and learned the basics of pruning and how to spot and address common tree health issues to ensure a thriving tree canopy. We were excited to plant three new trees for the Bryant Neighborhood Center and Trinity Presbyterian Church community as part of this training!

The Air We Breathe Webinar

On June 24th, we grabbed our bag lunches and gathered to learn with Dr. Ailene Ettinger, Senior Research Ecologist at The Nature Conservancy of Washington. Dr. Ettinger focused on the importance of clean air, shared insights from her research monitoring air quality in Tacoma, including about the crucial role conifers play in cleaning the air we breathe, and highlighted practical actions we can take to improve air quality both now and in the future. Here are a few of the many resources she shared so we can learn how to actively participate in our communities:

• Advocacy: The Nature Conservancy

• Environmental Justice Council Meetings

• Ecology Air Quality in Overburdened Communities

If you missed the webinar, be sure to check it out on our Youtube, where recordings of our webinars and hybrid presentations are available!

On May 30, we took root at our biggest in-person fundraiser yet, where we hosted over 170 incredible supporters at the beautiful Eastside Community Center! It was a night of celebration. Specifically, we celebrated the relationships that grow with our work. Warren King George helped us celebrate the relationships we cultivate with plants and wildlife when we care for the urban forest together. Partners and volunteers helped us celebrate how trees bring us together in unexpected ways. Click the image above or here to watch our testimonial video. We’re excited to continue reaching out and taking root alongside each and every one of you!

If you would like to support our work so that more neighbors can cultivate relationships with each other and with trees, donate today!

Register by July 20, 2026! You’ll receive a registration confirmation email by July 24, 2026 with more details about parking and shuttling. The event is capped at 20 to make sure everyone can participate. Please let us know you’re coming by registering!

Thank you to the City of Tacoma for their partnership and providing space for us at the plant holding facility where we keep and care for our trees.

Live in South Tacoma and want free trees for better safety, public health, beauty, habitat, and a sense of community in your neighborhood? 

Request a tree through our Green Blocks: South Tacoma and SafeTREE Routes to School programs starting July 10. Requests close August 17 at 9am. Visit the program webpages to see if your home is within the project areas. As always, both programs select the right tree for your right-of-way and plant the trees you request.

• Live in the neighborhood and unsure if you qualify for a tree? Request anyway and we’ll help you find the right program for your location.

• Can’t request a tree but want to get involved? Join us as a volunteer here and share with your friends, neighbors, and family. 

Community Tree Program’s Green Blocks: South Tacoma is rooted in partnership and community. With funding from the City of Tacoma’s Urban Forestry Program, our partnership supports the long-term growth and stewardship of Tacoma’s tree canopy. SafeTREE Routes to School funding is provided by the City of Tacoma and the USDA Forest Service, Urban and Community Forestry Program in partnership with State of Washington Department of Natural Resources, Urban and Community Forestry Program.