The Tree Donation program is a City of Edmonton initiative which works to preserve and expand the urban forest through partnerships with community groups and individual residents.
Community Forestry prioritizes the preservation of trees and will seek to transplant trees that citizens wish to donate.
Edmontonians interested in donating a privately-owned tree for transplant onto public property are invited to submit a Tree Donation proposal for review by a Program Coordinator. Final approval and transplant will be given based on a specific set of guidelines and requirements.
Application Intake Open
We are now accepting applications for the 2026 Tree Donation program.
To request an application form, please email: communityforestry@edmonton.ca.
Proposal Requirements
Each proposal must include:
- Tree Details: detailed information including the species, approximate height and overall health condition of the tree.
- Size: the tree’s diameter at breast height (DBH). Learn how to measure DBH.
- Location: indication and distance from surrounding infrastructure including sidewalks, driveways and landscaping stones:
- A 2.4-metre radius of clearance around the tree is required
- The tree should not be fenced in
- Photos: 3 clear photos of the tree and its surroundings from different angles.
- Utility Locates: An initial utility locate request from Utility Safety Partners.
Proposal Review
When tree donation requests are made, a Program Coordinator must assess the feasibility of the privately-owned tree and site. These guidelines are considered when reviewing your proposal:
To maximize the prospects of a successful transplant, a maximum of 20 tree donations will only be accepted annually. A total of 10 trees will be transplanted in the spring and 10 trees in the fall.
Poplars, Manitoba maples, fruit-bearing trees, shrubs, cedars and junipers will not be considered. Invasive species will also not be accepted.
Trees must have good form with a strong single leader, good branch and root structure.
Trees must be in good health with vigorous growth of leaves/buds, no wounds, no diseases or pests.
Coniferous trees must be at least 2.5 metres tall. The trunk diameter (DBH) must be between 8 centimetres and 20 centimetres.
The privately-owned tree will be moved via a tree-spade, usually attached to heavy equipment like a skid-steer. Therefore, the following site factors must also be considered:
- Equipment must have clear access to the tree. Permanent fences and landscaping can be a barrier and the equipment will not cross private pavement due to risk of damage.
- Sufficient clearance from adjacent landscaping, pavement, and private property to allow room for the tree-spade must be considered.
- An underground utility check must be completed to ensure no conflicts with the tree-spade will occur.
Note: Using a tree-spade for transplant means that the hole at the former location of the tree on private property will be filled by a plug from the new park site. This area may not be perfectly level with your lawn.
Approval and Implementation
If the proposal is approved, the Program Coordinator will find a suitable park space nearby. Trees will be planted in accordance with the City’s Design and Construction Standards and the donor will be required to sign a Consent Form with the City.
- By participating in the program, homeowners acknowledge that tree removal may cause temporary impacts to their lawn or property, such as soil disturbance, ruts, or possible damage to hard surfaces
- Donated trees become the property of the City of Edmonton, which assumes all future tree maintenance
- Homeowners accept responsibility for any site landscaping restoration on private property.
The coordinator will coordinate and schedule the relocation of the tree with a contractor and inform the property owner of the scheduling. They will also conduct a One-Call located and circulate the proposed relocation to external and internal stakeholders for approval.
Acceptance into City Inventory
Once the tree is relocated, it will be entered into City inventory. This means:
- The tree is now considered a City asset
- The tree will become the responsibility of the City and all future maintenance, such as watering, fertilizing, pruning, will be completed by the City
- The donor will no longer complete any form of maintenance on the tree
Should a situation arise where the tree is in conflict with repair or maintenance of public property, the City reserves the right to remove any plant material.
Contact Us
Community Forestry
Email communityforestry@edmonton.ca
Phone In Edmonton: 311 | Outside Edmonton: 780-442-5311
Link Contact 311 Online