Cincinnati Parks is accepting registrations for its Fall ReLeaf free tree program, which the department says is in its 38th year. According to the parks department, the effort has distributed 27,000 trees across more than 40 species.
The city's canopy coverage rose from 38% to 43% between 2010 and 2020, and Cincinnati Parks lists ReLeaf among the programs that contributed to that gain.
For 2026, applications opened earliest to neighborhoods identified through a 2021 tree canopy census as having less than 40% coverage. Those areas are Avondale, Bond Hill, Camp Washington, Carthage, Corryville, Downtown, East End, Evanston, Hartwell, Linwood, Lower Price Hill, Madisonville, Mt. Adams, Oakley, Over-the-Rhine, Pendleton, Queensgate, Roselawn, Walnut Hills and West End. The city lists Sept. 12 at 8 a.m. as the opening for those neighborhoods and Sept. 19 at 8 a.m. for all Cincinnati residents.
Registrants pick up trees at MadTree Brewing, 3301 Madison Rd., on Oct. 14 from 4-9 p.m., Oct. 17 from 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m., or Oct. 19 from noon-3:30 p.m.. Cincinnati Parks values each tree at $75 and provides them at no cost, with support from MadTree Brewing, Dynegy and the Cincinnati Parks Foundation. MadTree is backing the program for a seventh consecutive year, according to the department.
Species on this year's list include sugar maple, buttonbush, flowering dogwood, common persimmon, spicebush, sweetbay magnolia, hoptree and willow oak. Questions about tree selection can be directed to 513-861-9070.