‘Tennessee Tree Day’ is coming up. Reserve trees by Sunday

Storms have ravaged forests across the state in recent years.

Hurricane Helene washed away woodlands in East Tennessee. Tornadoes unearthed roots in West and Middle Tennessee. The ice storm killed thousands of trees across Nashville.

One nonprofit is offering an opportunity to help replenish canopies. The Tennessee Environmental Council organized a statewide tree sale on March 21, and the deadline to reserve trees in advance is now Sunday.

“We are making it as convenient as possible for residents to participate and plant a variety of native trees at their homes and farms, especially in areas hit hardest by these devastating weather events,” CEO Jeffrey Barrie said in a statement.

Any state resident can sign up to reserve from a selection of 11 native tree species, like redbuds, elderberry and oaks, for a suggested donation of about $4 to $5 per tree. The young trees are considered “bare-root seedlings,” between one and two years old, and range in size from about one to four feet.

For the first year ever, the council set up sales in all 95 counties in Tennessee. Some cities have numerous pickup locations available.

On some reserve forms, the deadline reads March 1, but folks can still fill out the reservation form through Sunday.

The council provides resources for planting, including a video on how to plant a bare-root tree and guidance for where to plant to avoid future utility pole conflicts. Residents are also required to call 811 before digging to avoid other utility infrastructure.

The program has led to more than 1 million tree plantings since 2007.