Donate To Our Mission
Why Donate?
Because communities need trees! Trees are an important part of any ecosystem but sometimes we forget about their importance in the city. Having a diverse and rich tree canopy increases general biodiversity, cleans the air, protects groundwater and the Puget Sound, makes streets quieter and safer, and increases the health and well-being of the people who live or work in the area. Your donation helps us bring quality of life to the communities in Tacoma and Pierce County that need it the most.
At Tacoma Tree Foundation, we see greening as a gateway to civic engagement and an opportunity to cultivate social cohesion. We focus our efforts on educating, empowering, and supporting community members in greening activities. We not only share and plant free trees, we are committed to offering free educational events. Trees will only grow healthy if neighbors have the technical, scientific, and cultural knowledge needed to care for and appreciate them.
Together we can grow a greener, healthier, and more connected Greater Tacoma area, Pierce County and the watersheds of Puget Sound.
Where does your donation go?
Robust planting, outreach, and education programs are fundamental for each sapling we share to find a home and thrive either on your right-of-way, in your neighbor’s backyard, or in a park.
It takes $100 to plant a tree. However, at TTF we do more than just plant trees. $100 could teach 30 people how to plant a tree and provide 100 community members with information about the amazing benefits of our growing urban forest.
PLANTING
Through our planting program, we take care of saplings in preparation for planting season during the hot summer months–repotting, watering, weeding, and more! We drive with Cedro, our truck, around the region to collect trees from nurseries. We deliver watering bags to project neighborhoods, and water the trees we plant in parks and public schools.
When planting season arrives, we support residents with Right Tree, Right Place decision-making, stake tree locations, transport trees to tree shares and planting events, plant trees and teach residents how to do so as well, track where our trees are going, and report back on the results of our efforts.
OUTREACH
For residents to know that trees are available, we reach out to communities in several ways: project materials and mailers, tabling at fairs, regional events, social media and our website. Opportunities to speak one on one with residents are especially important as they allow us to hear their tree stories, learn what their environmental and social concerns are, and also hear about where they would like to see more trees!
EDUCATION
Tree care and tree appreciation complement each other. Planting a tree is a lifetime commitment. To take root, trees need to be properly planted, properly staked and tied, properly pruned, and watered regularly during the first 3-5 summers. For this reason, we provide free training opportunities to residents through our Tree Stewards training and our structural pruning workshops.
Technical knowledge is key, and it is most powerful when paired with the scientific and cultural knowledge that allow residents to engage with trees in multiple ways. This is why we offer tree walks, mindfulness walks, presentations, workshops, and webinars, and blog posts, all of which help residents connect with trees through the arts, culture, science, and their personal connection to plants.
ADVOCACY
In addition to these programs, we support residents by keeping them informed about local policies related to trees, and provide them with ways of engaging locally so that they can support their neighborhoods, governments, and other organizations that are pasionate about protecting the urban forest and fighting climate change.
Clean Air
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Shade & Cooling
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Insulation
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Clean Water
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Mental Health
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Food
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Physical Health
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Wind Break
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Habitat
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Beauty
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Sense of Place
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Local Economy
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Clean Air • Shade & Cooling • Insulation • Clean Water • Mental Health • Food • Physical Health • Wind Break • Habitat • Beauty • Sense of Place • Local Economy •
2023 Milestones
1,000
Trees Donated
58
Events
2,917
Trees Distributed
800
Volunteer Hours
421
Volunteers
200
Trees Maintained
2
Schools
Public Place
1
298
Residents Reached
“My dream for Tacoma would be to see the work that the Tacoma Tree Foundation is doing now grow, for people to continue to have equal access to green spaces, and care given to growing our community.”
-Courtney, Volunteer
Our Future Goals
$70,000
Electric truck, watering tank, tree trailer
$1-2 Million
Property with an office for staff, a classroom for educational events, and our own nursery
Our biggest dream is to be able to work, care for trees, and park our truck safely in the same place. Currently, our office is 6 miles from the nursery where, thanks to our generous partners at the City, we care for trees. Full-time staff take turns parking Cedro, our truck, at their homes. This adds time to and subtracts nimbleness (although we’re proud of how much we’ve achieved despite these limitations!). Support our goal to rent an office that includes a nursery, parking space, and a classroom for our educational events!
Make a Donation
Tacoma Tree Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization and your donation is tax-deductible. Our tax ID number is 83-2505388
Donate Another Way
By Check
To donate by check, please mail your gift payable to: Tacoma Tree Foundation, P.O. Box 2012, Tacoma, WA 98401
PayPal
Donate in someone’s name.
The gift of a tree is one that will grow into shade, be a place to find refuge under, and make a memory of a lifetime. You can give the gift of a tree by making a donation for someone who believes in our mission of making Tacoma a greener.
Support your community through planting, education, outreach, and more
Volunteer with us
Upcoming events.
Our events include plantings, tabling, and walks and presentations with a wide variety of topics including policy, botany, mindfulness, creativity, and much more. Check out our calendar for upcoming events that you can be a part of. We would love to see you there!