De Gezonde Stad, together with partners like Amsterdam Weerproef, will be distributing no less than 7,500 trees to Amsterdammers on Saturday, November 2nd. This record number symbolizes the city’s 750th anniversary. Want a free tree? Sign up quickly!
Last year, De Gezonde Stad distributed 3,200 trees. This year’s significantly larger number is a special gift from the organization to celebrate the city’s anniversary.
With the yearly campaign “Trees for Amsterdam,” sustainability organization De Gezonde Stad encourages Amsterdammers to make the city greener by planting a tree in their garden or on their balcony. Alderman Melanie van der Horst and De Gezonde Stad director, Hannah Hendrikx, will officially launch the campaign on November 2 at 11:00 a.m. at Stadsboerderij Osdorp.
This year, the initiative is extra special: trees will be distributed at four different locations to make it easy for all Amsterdammers to participate. The distribution points are: Stadsboerderij Osdorp in Amsterdam Nieuw-West, De Ceuvel in Amsterdam Noord, De Groene Hub in Amsterdam Zuidoost, and KIT Tropentuin in Amsterdam Oost.
You must first request a tree through De Gezonde Stad. The trees are up to 1 meter tall, making them easy to transport by bike or public transport.
This year, you can choose between two native tree species: the spindle tree and the field maple. Native trees and shrubs are incredibly valuable and fit well with Amsterdam’s natural environment. The selected species are small, making them perfect for urban gardens and balconies, while their blossoms and berries contribute to the city’s biodiversity.
After picking up your tree, you can register it on the Life Terra platform. Through a digital map, you can watch the urban forest grow each year. Together, all these trees and shrubs will create a diverse urban forest.
“A large tree for your house or apartment provides as much or even more cooling than five air conditioners. Moreover, that tree purifies the air, collects rainwater, serves as a playground for your child, provides a home for birds, and acts as a food source for pollinators. It's so important to have more trees in the city.” Hannah Hendrikx Director of De Gezonde Stad
“A large tree for your house or apartment provides as much or even more cooling than five air conditioners. Moreover, that tree purifies the air, collects rainwater, serves as a playground for your child, provides a home for birds, and acts as a food source for pollinators. It's so important to have more trees in the city.”
