TreeLink, with grant support from the Urban Forestry Programme, is expanding its ‘free trees’ initiative to focus on garden tree planting in two neighbourhoods—Raploch and Bannockburn—where tree canopy cover and tree equity are particularly low. These areas are key components of TreeLink’s flagship project, the Crown of Trees.

The project offers free fruit trees (apples, pears, plums) and nut trees (walnut, filbert) to local residents. TreeLink has found that fruit trees are especially popular as they tend to be well cared for, given their value for future crops.

Since July 2024, the free tree scheme has been actively promoted. Residents can register online, using a system modeled after TreeLink’s Free Trees for Babies initiative. Trees will be delivered between November 2024 and March 2025, with TreeLink volunteers assisting with planting and ensuring quality. The entire project will be run by these volunteers.