I’m Steve Bodi, and I’m working as a volunteer to help get information out about a neat program Martinsville has to give away free trees to local homeowners.
A nonprofit group called Beautify Martinsville has donated the money to provide 50 free trees to local folks each year for five years. The trees are NOT 9-inch saplings — but well established, significant trees when planted! They will have from 2-to-3-inch caliper trunks and be around 10 to 12 feet tall when planted.
It’s a very cool program that has almost no administrative costs to the city.
It’s easy to sign up, totally free to homeowners, and provides lasting beauty, shade, increased home value, and good vibes to all who pass by your new tree for many years to come. You need to be a homeowner in the city limits of Martinsville to sign up online, and then sit back, do nothing, and watch your new tree get planted this fall!
This is the third year of the program, and I want to make sure Martinsville residents know about it and sign up for a free tree before planting season. The program is set up to enhance both your home and the streetscape, so these free trees need to be planted in the tree plot — the grassy area between the street and sidewalk — or when there is no tree plot, within 10 feet of the street or walk. The trees are meant to be a shared resource for both the homeowner and all who pass by, so these trees are not meant to be planted in backyards or too far away from public streets.
“This tree planting initiative is more than just beautification — it’s an investment in the future of our city,” mayor Kenny Costin said about the program. “These trees will provide shade, improve air quality, and enhance the character of our neighborhoods for generations to come. We are very grateful to the donors of the trees who continue to make this project happen.”
Getting your free tree is easy. Go to www.martinsville.in.gov/freetree and fill out the online form, pick the type of tree you’d like from the list, and you’ll get a completely free tree delivered to your home and planted by a professional nursery this fall. No muss or fuss.
Please note that the official homeowner on the title must complete the online form. Each homeowner may have one free tree per year, AND may sign up each following year for another tree.
Just sign up at the City of Martinsville’s web site or print the form and mail it in.
For more information, you can reach me at mvillefreetreeprogram@gmail.com.
May a happy fall and happy shade come your way soon!
Steve Bodi
Martinsville
