Trees for Campuses
A Partnership Between
Community Grants & Beat the Heat—Plant a Tree
Trees for Campuses is our newest effort to get as many trees as possible into the ground to restore our urban tree canopy. Area nonprofit schools and churches may apply through our Grants Program to receive up to 50 native shade trees from our Beat the Heat—Plant a Tree Program.
Download the Application Guidance and Trees for Campuses Application documents to find out more about how to apply for free trees and help to restore Columbia’s urban tree canopy.
Questions about the application process? Contact Chris Wormley, Community Grants Chair at grantawards@columbiagreen.org.
Questions about how to get started with a Trees for Campuses project? Contact Andy Cabe, Trees for Campuses Chair at andycabe@columbiagreen.org.
Trees for Campuses Application Process
Our Impact
Our Beat the Heat—Plant a Tree program has given away over 1,800 trees since we launched in 2024. Columbia Green has been giving away trees since our inception in 1984.
Each tree on this map shows where Columbia Green has placed 1-3 Beat the Heat native shade trees in the past two years.
Putting groves of trees on school and church campuses across greater Columbia has the potential to double this number each year.
Apply now!
Who Can Apply?
Your campus must be in the Greater Columbia area and be a not-for-profit, such as schools and places of worship. If you aren’t sure if your group is eligible, please contact us.
Our 2026 - 2027 Trees
Black Gum--Nyssa sylvatica
American Hornbeam--Carpinus caroliniana
Red Maple--Acer rubrum
American Holly--Ilex opaca
Sweetbay Magnolia--Magnolia virginiana
Tulip Poplar--Liriodendron tulipifera
American Sycamore--Platanus occidentalis
Princeton Elm--Ulmus americana ‘Princeton’
Southern Magnolia--Magnolia grandiflora
American Beech--Fagus grandiflora
White Oak--Quercus alba
Overcup Oak Quercus lyrata
White Oak--Quercus alba
Nuttall Oak--Quercus texana
Shumard Oak--Quercus shumardii