Trees and forestry

Hennepin County plants and maintains trees on sites throughout the county in partnership with cities, libraries, community organization and schools. Planting projects include along county roadways, at county libraries and facilities, at schools and parks, and in natural areas and conservation easements.

Gravel-bed nursery

Most of the trees the county plants come from the county's gravel-bed nursery, located at the Hennepin County Adult Corrections Facility in Plymouth. The gravel-bed nursery gives the county access to hardy, diverse and cost-effective trees for use on county projects and properties.

Every spring, 1,000 young saplings of a variety of species are purchased from commercial nurseries and planted in the gravel-bed. The trees grow and develop a good root structure throughout the summer, and are ready to be transplanted in the fall.

Compared to conventional nursery trees, the gravel-bed nursery gives the county access to a wider diversity of tree species, produces trees that have a good survival rate, and allows the county to plant trees in a more cost-effective manner. The gravel-bed nursery is also helping the county proactively replace ash trees that will ultimately be infested with the emerald ash borer.

Planting projects

Trees from the gravel-bed nursery are transplanted to a variety of county projects and properties.

Examples of planting projects that the county has or is working on include:

• Arbor Day plantings at various locations
• Community locations, including along the Midtown Greenway, at schools and in parks
• Hennepin County facilities and libraries
• Restoration projects in natural areas and conservation easements
• Transportation and transit corridors

Independence conservation easement planting project

Check out this video of our tree planting project at a conservation easement in Independence. We planted 15,000 seedling trees to protect habitat and enhance our tree canopy. This is one of the many projects we’re doing to act boldly on climate change. We have committed to planting 1 million trees by 2030 and acquiring 6,000 acres of conservation easements by 2040. 

Learn more about conservation easements.

Homewood neighborhood planting project

Hennepin County foresters are working with interns at Northside Safety NET to design a tree planting for the 2.1-acre vacant lot at the intersection of 8th and Washburn Avenue North in the Homewood neighborhood of Minneapolis. Learn more. 

Assistance available

If you are looking for assistance with a planting project or are interested in installing a gravel-bed nursery, contact Dan Wattenhofer at daniel.wattenhofer@hennepin.us or 612-353-3548.

In October 2023, the county board awarded 25 Healthy Tree Canopy grants totaling about $499,700. Grant recipients include 13 cities, two affordable housing properties, five schools, and five nonprofit organizations, including congregations and neighborhood associations. More than 620 trees will be planted through the grant projects.

The grants will:

• Fund the collection of data through tree inventories, which is critical to increasing and diversifying the tree canopy and starting to respond to emerald ash borer.
• Address the impacts of tree pests and pathogens by improving city forestry capacity and treating or replacing and replanting ash trees that are threatened by emerald ash borer. Grantees are required to plant at least one replacement tree for every ash tree removed.
• Educate residents on the benefits of trees and engage them in tree planting efforts.
• Improve livability and reduce disparities by planting trees in neighborhoods throughout the county experiencing disproportionate amounts of economic, environmental, and health inequities.
• Protect people and increase the county’s resilience to climate change – important goals in the county’s Climate Action Plan – by increasing the benefits that trees provide. These benefits include capturing carbon, reducing air pollution, and taking up stormwater, and providing shade to counteract the urban heat island effect.

Grants awarded to cities

Grants to cities fund tree inventories, help mitigate the effects of tree pests and pathogens, increase the capacity of city forestry programs, educate residents on the benefits of trees and engage them in tree planting efforts, and improve livability by planting trees in neighborhoods that face economic, environmental, and health disparities.

Brooklyn Center

$29,751.79 to remove 13 ash trees, and plant 55 replacement trees.

Brooklyn Park

$50,000 to remove 30 ash trees, stock a gravel-bed nursery with 60 bareroot trees, conduct emerald ash borer education, treat existing ash trees, and hold volunteer tree planting events to replace 30 ash trees.

Champlin

$19,807 to remove 35 ash trees, plant 35 replacement trees, and treat 35 ash trees.

Crystal

$50,000 to remove 10 ash trees and plant 40 replacement trees.

Eden Prairie

$45,269 to remove and replace 42 ash trees and create educational emerald ash borer signage for the public.

Excelsior

$22,596 to plant 27 trees, purchase treatment equipment, and train staff.

Medicine Lake

$5,000 to establish a city-wide tree inventory.

Minnetrista

$7,325 to establish a gravel-bed nursery.

New Hope

$33,000 to plant 75 trees to replace removed ash trees.

Orono

$33,150 to develop an urban tree management plan and an emerald ash borer management plan.

Plymouth

$20,500 to create an urban forest management plan.

St. Anthony

$21,030 to remove 20 ash trees and plant 25 replacement trees.

Wayzata

$24,963.82 to remove 35 ash trees and plant 40 replacement trees.

Grants awarded to affordable housing providers

Grants to affordable housing providers promote a more diverse, resilient, and equitable tree canopy by removing and replacing ash trees and planting new trees.

Boisclair Corporation

$20,000 to remove 10 ash trees and plant 12 replacement trees at Highlands in Bloomington.

Boisclair Corporation

$20,000 to remove 10 ash trees and plant 12 replacement trees at Penn Place in Bloomington.

Grants awarded to nonprofit organizations and schools

Grants to nonprofit organizations and schools are used to engage communities in planting trees, remove and replace ash trees, conduct tree-related education, complete tree inventories, and hold Arbor Day celebrations.

Church of St. Thomas the Apostle

$10,000 to remove 5 ash trees and plant 11 replacement trees

Bloomington Neighbors Nurturing Nature

$10,000 to conduct a tree inventory and create a tree management plan for Bloomington Public Schools

Independent School District 271

$10,000 to plant 43-70 trees on school property in Bloomington.

Independent School District 273

$10,000 to remove 10 ash trees and plant 10 replacement trees at Concord Elementary School in Edina.

Independent School District 273

$10,000 to remove 14 ash trees and plant 14 replacement trees at Normandale Elementary School in Edina.

Independent School District 273

$10,000 to remove 4 ash trees and plant 4 replacement trees at South View Middle School in Edina.

Missions

$9,990 to remove 4 ash trees and plant 6 replacement trees in Plymouth.

Special School District 1

$10,000 to plant 49 trees across 9 different school properties in Minneapolis.

Tree Trust

$10,000 to hold an educational event and plant 30 trees at a Bloomington school.

Vibrant and Safe Downtown

$9,341 to water 250 newly planted trees in Minneapolis.

About the healthy tree canopy grants

Hennepin County has grants available to cities, affordable housing properties, schools, and non-profit organizations to enhance the county’s tree canopy.

The goals of the program are to combat threats to trees from invasive insects and disease by funding tree planting, educate the public on tree care and the importance of trees, and increase the diversity and resiliency of the tree canopy.

Types of grants available

Different types of grants are available to cities, affordable housing properties, and schools and non-profit organizations.

See the 2023 healthy tree canopy grants flyer (PDF) to learn more about the difference between the grant types.

Cities

For cities with no tree inventory or an incomplete tree inventory:

• Grants are only to complete tree inventories.
• Grants of $1,000 to $5,000 are available, and a 25% match is required.

For cities that have a completed tree inventory and a have a MN DNR certified tree inspector or an ISA-certified arborist under contract for the proposed grant project:

• Grants are to implement tree plantings, maintain newly planted trees, remove and replace ash trees, conduct outreach, develop gravel-bed nurseries and develop tree management plans.
• Grants of $10,000 to $50,000 are available, and a 25% match is required.

See the 2023 grant guidelines for cities (PDF) for more information.

• Application for cities (DOCX)

Affordable housing

Grants are for removing ash trees and planting trees on affordable housing properties.

Grants are available to new and existing affordable housing properties. Eligible applicants include owners and managers of existing affordable multifamily housing, developers of new affordable multifamily housing, and affordable housing land trusts.

Grants of a minimum of $5,000 up to a maximum of $20,000 are available. A 25% match of the granted amount is required.

• See the 2023 grant guidelines for affordable housing properties (PDF) for more information.
• Application for affordable housing properties (DOCX)

Schools

Grants are for tree plantings on school properties, tree-related education, tree inventories, ash tree removals, and Arbor Day celebrations.

Eligible applicants include administrators, teachers, principals, and facility managers of existing charter, private, and public schools in Hennepin County.

Grants of a minimum of $1,000 up to a maximum of $10,000 are available. No match required.

• See the 2023 grant guidelines for schools (PDF) for more information.
• Application for schools (DOCX)

Nonprofit organizations

Grants are for tree plantings on community properties, tree-related education, tree inventories, ash tree removals, and Arbor Day celebrations.

Eligible applicants include nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in Hennepin County.

Grants of a minimum of $1,000 up to a maximum of $10,000 are available. No match required.

• See the 2023 grant guidelines for nonprofit organizations (PDF) for more information. 
• Application for nonprofits (DOCX)

How to apply

Applications for the 2023 round of Healthy tree canopy grants will be accepted via the Hennepin County supplier portal beginning May 11. Applications are due by Thursday, June 8.

To access the RFP and apply

• Visit the Supplier Portal.
• View the application materials by finding the Healthy tree canopy grant you wish to apply for on the list.
• You need to be registered to apply. For detailed instructions on how to register and submit an application, including video tutorials and more, visit the Supplier Portal help page.

Contact us for help with your grant project

Hennepin County foresters are available to help you develop projects and answer any questions related to the grant and application process. Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the forestry team at trees@hennepin.us before applying.

Helpful grant resources

The following resources will be helpful in completing your grant application.

Recommended tree list

Use the county's recommended tree list (XLSX) when developing a planting plan.

The list includes a list of species and notes about their suitability for planting in various locations. A do-not-plant list is also included.

Grant program updates

Sign up for the Canopy newsletter to get grant program updates.

GIS story map

Check out this GIS story map that highlights successful tree and natural resource grant-funded projects. Story maps are a GIS platform that connect places with project stories in a compelling, interactive, and easy-to-understand format. The map can be used to provide ideas and inspiration for future projects.

Community Forestry Strategic Plan

The Hennepin County Community Forestry Strategic Plan (PDF) defines goals and objectives that the county’s forestry program will pursue from 2020 to 2025 to protect the county’s tree canopy and increase the benefits that trees provide.

The plan includes more than 50 strategies to achieve the following goals:

• Plant, diversify, and maintain trees throughout Hennepin County
• Increase the resiliency of Hennepin County’s community forest
• Build organizational capacity to support, value, and maintain trees
• Educate and engage residents to become stewards of the community forest

Together, the strategies outlined in this plan will build stronger internal and external partnerships, get more people involved in caring for trees, and increase awareness of the values of trees. They will also establish effective forestry policies, better prepare communities for current and future threats to trees, ensure trees are used to reduce disparities and respond to climate change, and capture success stories that inspire further action. Pursuing all these strategies will create a healthier and more resilient community forest and ensure more equitable opportunities for communities to experience the benefits that trees provide.

Developing the plan

The strategic plan was developed using a participatory planning process that incorporated feedback from both internal and external partners.

Through a series of workshops, county staff developed a vision for the future of the forestry program, recognized potential barriers, identified strategies, and drafted goals.

A meeting with external partners was held to gather feedback on the draft goals and strategies. The meeting had 40 participants representing forestry and public works programs in Hennepin County cities, past recipients of Heathy Tree Canopy grants, state and regional governmental agencies involved in natural resource management, the University of Minnesota, and local nonprofits involved in green space management and education. Key insights from those meetings were incorporated into the plan.

Implementing the plan

Hennepin County foresters are beginning to implement strategies identified in the plan as they carry out their 2021 work plan. The plan will be submitted to the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners for formal adoption along with the updated Natural Resources Strategic Plan later this year.

Hennepin County foresters are interested in discussing partnership opportunities that help meet the goals of the strategic plan or hearing any additional ideas you have. Connect with them by emailing trees@hennepin.us.

Community forestry progress report: 2022

Creating a community forestry program in the Environment and Energy Department was part of the county’s expanded role in natural resource conservation. The forestry program focuses on protecting the county’s tree canopy to increase the benefits that trees provide. Trees improve air quality by absorbing fine particulate matter and other pollutants and protect water by slowing down and infiltrating stormwater runoff. They also provide shade, reduce the urban heat island effect, lower stress, and increase property values.

Aspects of the county’s forestry program include growing healthy trees, partnering in large-scale planting events, managing threats to the tree canopy, raising awareness about tree pests and disease, educating the public on the benefits of trees and supporting partners through the Healthy Tree Canopy Grant program. 

Hennepin County foresters were busy throughout 2022. Some highlights of the work that was accomplished include:

• Planted 1,011 gravel bed trees and shrubs throughout the county.
• Held a tree sale where residents purchased nearly 3,000 seedlings.
• Continued to update inventory of ash trees on county property. As of December 2022, there are 1,483 existing ash trees within the right-of-way along county roads.
• Funded 20 Healthy Tree Canopy grant projects. The grants include seven cities, four affordable housing providers, and nine schools and nonprofits.
• Forestry staff provided over 185 education hours at community volunteer events.
• Planted 138 trees along a section of Brooklyn Boulevard in Brooklyn Center.
• Conducted an inventory of diseased trees within rights-of-way along county roads and flagged 47 trees for removal.

Learn more in the 2022 Community forestry annual report (PDF). 

Additional reports

• 2021 Community forestry annual report (PDF).

Tree planting and care

Recommended tree list

Use the county's recommended tree list (XLSX) when developing a planting plan. The list includes a list of species and notes about their suitability for planting in various locations. A do-not-plant list is also included.

Terrestrial invasive species

There are many invasive plants of concern in Minnesota. Learn how to identify and prevent the spread of terrestrial invasive species. Learn more and access helpful resources about terrestrial invasive species on the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website.

Planting and tree care videos

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has produced helpful videos and resources for planting trees and caring for newly planted trees.

Get to know your neighborhood trees

Neighborhood tree bingo

Take a walk around your neighborhood or visit a local park and see how many of these common urban trees you can find on our Neighborhood Tree Bingo card.

• Download the bingo card as a PDF.
• Download the bingo card as a JPG.

Tree identification guides

Use these resources to help with tree identification:

• Tree identification guide (PDF) from Hennepin County and the University of Minnesota
• A beginner's guide to Minnesota trees (PDF)
• Winter tree ID guide (PDF) from the University of Wisconsin

Emerald ash borer, an invasive tree pest that attacks and kills ash trees, is the biggest current threat to our tree canopy. There are over 1 million ash trees in Hennepin County, and 100 percent of them are threatened by the emerald ash borer. Most residents live within 15 miles of an infested ash tree, which means you should be taking steps now to determine if you have ash trees on your property and how you are going to manage them.

Options for managing ash trees from the threat of emerald ash borer

Hennepin County has a number of resources to learn about emerald ash borer and options for managing ash trees:

• Learn more about the threat of emerald ash borer and options for managing ash trees.
• Learn how to identify and inventory ash trees and decide your best option for managing them (PDF)
• Identifying ash trees video (YouTube)
• Ash tree identification card (PDF)
• Emerald ash borer brochure (PDF)

Saving your mature ash trees

A healthy, mature ash tree may be worth saving, and treatment with an insecticide is an option to preserve ash trees of high value.

Watch "Protecting ash trees from the threat of emerald ash borer" (YouTube) to learn how to determine if your tree is worth saving and see how treatment works.

Spread the word

Use these resources to help spread the word about emerald ash borer and options for managing ash trees:

• Newsletter and social media posts (DOCX)
• Spread of emerald ash borer image (GIF)
• Decision guide for managing ash trees (JPG)

Hennepin County emerald ash borer plan

Learn more about the emerald ash tree in Hennepin County and the county's plans to address the tree pest in the Hennepin County tree canopy enhancement and emerald ash borer plan (PDF).

Tree waste is a valuable resource that can be recycled into compost. It is illegal to put this kind of waste in your household garbage.

Leaves can be composted in your backyard or brought to a yard waste site.

Branches, logs and stumps should be brought to a yard waste site. See a listing of yard waste sites in Hennepin County.

Hennepin County offers training classes and volunteer opportunities to learn about tree care, improve tree health in your community, and educate others about trees.

Tree steward classes

Tree steward classes cover the basics of tree biology, tree planting, watering, pruning, and tree health through a combination of classroom instruction and hands-on, outdoor field experience. Classes are offered in partnership with the University of Minnesota and host cities.

After completing the class, volunteers have opportunities to help plant and care for trees with the county and partnering organizations.

Classes are open to the public, and no experience is needed. The University of Minnesota provides the necessary tools and safety equipment. Participants should dress appropriately for being outside.

Upcoming classes

Edina tree steward class

• Date: Wednesday, April 26, 2023 from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m.
• Location: Hughes Pavilion in Centennial Lakes Park, 7499 France Ave S, Edina, MN 55435
• Cost: $10
• Learn more and register. 

Get notified of future classes

If you would like to be notified when the schedule and registration is available for future tree steward classes, contact Shane DeGroy at shane.degroy@hennepin.us or 612-543-3697.

Community volunteer tree plantings

There are no community volunteer tree plantings scheduled at this time.

Hennepin County sells trees each spring to property owners to restore and improve woodland areas and increase wildlife habitat.

Placing an order

The 2023 spring tree sale has ended. Sign up for the Canopy newsletter to get notified when the 2024 tree sale opens for orders. 

Tree planting and care resources

• Resources for planting trees and seedlings from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
• Guide to choosing the right tree or shrub for the right area from Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
• Minnesota Tree Planting Handbook (PDF)

For more information and questions

Contact Shane DeGroy at shane.degroy@hennepin.us if you have questions regarding the tree sale or for more information about tree species, selection, and planting.