400 Trees for the 400th

The National Arbor Day Foundation has named Portsmouth a Tree City for more than 20 consecutive years, thanks to annual efforts to plant and care for the City's urban forest of more than 15,000 trees.

In 1876, the City of Portsmouth celebrated the nation's 100th birthday with the dedication of Langdon Park (pictured) and the planting of 100 trees by the community. In 2023, for the Portsmouth's 400th birthday, the City plans to plant 400 trees -- and again welcomes local citizens to take part in the project.

The plan is for Parks and Greenery to plant 200 trees: the 100 that are part of the usual annual investment in the City's urban forest, with an additional 100 trees from the Rotary Club in celebration of its 100th anniversary in 2023.

The "other" 200 trees will be made available for local residents to plant.

Parks and Greenery will be placing an order for 200 trees, divided in lots of four different varieties selected for their suitability for City neighborhoods. Residents (first come, first served) who agree to plant and care for one of these trees will receive a cloth bag with handles containing a 4-6 foot sapling, an appropriate amount of compost to help prepare the ground for the tree and instructions on planting and caring for the new tree.

Residents will be able to sign up online to receive a tree and would be notified in March 2023 once a pickup date is selected. The trees will be held at the Urban Forestry Center until that date (in April, in advance of the annual Arbor Day celebration), when DPW Parks & Greenery would host a tree planting workshop and pickup arrangements.

The Department of Public Works has already prepared this introductory video on tree planting.