Miami Beach residents can take home a free tree next month.

The city's Urban Forestry team will distribute 80 trees at Bayshore Park on Tuesday, Sept. 15, from 10 a.m. to noon. Only 80 are available. The giveaway is first-come, first-served, and the city said on Facebook that only the first 80 residents who show up will receive a tree.

The City of Miami Beach announced the giveaway on Aug. 14. Trees will be handed out on the lawn next to the parking lot at 2530 Pine Tree Drive. Residents can sign up in advance through the city's online registration form.

Growing the canopy

The giveaway is one piece of a larger push to add shade across the island. The city's Urban Forestry Master Plan sets a goal of increasing canopy coverage from 17% to 22%, according to city records.

That effort includes the "Let Us Throw You Some Shade" initiative, funded by G.O. Bond dollars, which plants trees in the public right-of-way next to residents' properties. Under that program, the city maintains newly planted trees for the first three months. Plantings through that campaign are projected for summer through early fall 2026, according to the city's Rising Above program page.

The Sept. 15 giveaway differs from the right-of-way program: residents take the trees home and plant them on their own property.

The city has not specified which tree species will be available or whether residents need to show proof of address.

Community calendar

Tuesday, Sept. 15: Free Tree Giveaway, 10 a.m. to noon, Bayshore Park, 2530 Pine Tree Drive. Sign up at bit.ly/MBTrees26.

Sunday, Aug. 30: Flip the Switch Sea Turtle Beach Cleanup, 9 a.m. to noon, 68 Street Beach. Learn about sea turtle nesting behavior and join a guided beach cleanup. RSVP at bit.ly/FTSCarillon26.