The Arkansas Department of Agriculture announced on March 19 that it will hold its sixth annual “Free Tree Fridays” campaign, offering free bare root seedlings to residents every Friday from March 20 through April 24 at various locations across the state.
The initiative aims to encourage tree planting and community engagement in recognition of Arbor Day. By distributing native tree species, the department seeks to promote environmental stewardship and support reforestation efforts in Arkansas.
Kristine Kimbro, Urban and Community Forestry Coordinator, said, “Free Tree Fridays embody the spirit of Arbor Day by offering people the opportunity to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees in their own backyards and in their communities. Rather than just celebrating Arbor Day once, we are excited to offer multiple seedling giveaways across the state during the six weeks between our state’s Arbor Day and National Arbor Day.”
Two events within this campaign will also serve as Arkansas ReLeaf distributions, providing seedlings specifically for communities affected by tornadoes and other natural disasters. These are scheduled for March 20 in Hot Springs Village and April 3 in Paragould. Each giveaway will feature two to four native species such as Shumard oak, overcup oak, sycamore, or pecan. Up to five free seedlings will be available per person on a first-come, first-served basis.
A full schedule of giveaway locations is available on the department’s website. Funding for this project comes from the U.S. Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program in partnership with the Arkansas Department of Agriculture and additional support from the Arkansas Urban Forestry Council.
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture serves as a state government agency focused on resource conservation and industry support according to its official website. The department manages agriculture, forestry, and natural resources to support farmers while ensuring safe food and forest products; it advances conservation through programs addressing water planning, wildfire protection, and reforestation according to its official website.
The Baucum Nursery operated by the department produces millions of seedlings annually for statewide reforestation efforts according to its official website. The agency also honors outstanding forest management through its annual Forest Stewards of the Year recognition according to its official website.
Additionally, the department oversees funding boards that allocate millions for research and market development in commodities like rice and soybeans according to its official website, promotes access to safe water supplies for economic development and public health according to its official website, and manages an agricultural sector contributing more than $24.3 billion annually with about 37,400 farms spanning roughly 13.7 million acres according to its official website.
