SRP offers free shade trees to lower summer cooling costs

• In Arizona, SRP customers can receive two free shade trees by attending a workshop.
• Workshops are held online and teach how to plant and care for desert-adapted trees.
• Trees can reduce home energy use by up to 25 percent.
• Six types of drought-tolerant trees are available.
• Trees must be planted in strategic locations to qualify.

Wednesday, June 18, 2025 — The Salt River Project is once again giving its residential electric customers a chance to cut cooling bills and add greenery to their yards—at no cost. Through the SRP Shade Tree Program, customers can receive two desert-adapted trees by attending a free online workshop.

The program is run in partnership with Trees Matter, a Phoenix-based nonprofit focused on environmental education, and Treeland Nurseries, one of the largest family-owned wholesale and retail nurseries in Arizona.

Upcoming Workshop Dates.

Three upcoming online workshops are scheduled:

• Saturday, June 28, 2025, at 10 a.m.
• Thursday, July 24, 2025, at 12 p.m.
• Saturday, August 23, 2025, at 10 a.m.

Each is offered via Zoom and is open to SRP customers who meet the eligibility requirements.

Benefits of Shade Trees.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, properly placed shade trees can reduce a typical household’s energy use by up to 25 percent. The SRP Shade Tree Program distributes young saplings between two and six feet tall. All six tree varieties are drought-tolerant and suited for Arizona’s hot summers.

The current list of tree species includes:

• Native Mesquite – Thorny tree with fern-like leaves and yellow flowers. Grows up to 30 feet tall and wide.
• Palo Verde – Thorny tree with yellow spring blossoms and green bark. Reaches about 30 feet tall.
• Lilac Chaste – Thornless tree with purple flowers and a rounded shape, growing up to 20 feet.
• Thornless Mesquite – Wind-tolerant tree best planted in groups. Reaches 30 feet tall and wide.
• Desert Willow – Willowy, thornless tree with trumpet-shaped flowers in various colors. Grows to 25 feet.
• Willow Acacia – Narrow, upright tree with yellow blooms. Can grow as tall as 40 feet.

Participation Requirements.

To receive free trees through the program, participants must:

• Be current residential SRP electric customers;
• Attend a full Shade Tree workshop;
• Have legal authority to plant on their property;
• Plant trees on the east, south, or west sides of their home;
• Place trees approximately 15 to 20 feet from exterior walls or windows;
• Be able to care for the trees over time; and
• Have not previously received trees from the program.

Tree Planting Guidance.

Participants are encouraged to plant their saplings within two weeks of receiving them. Before digging, contact Arizona 811 to mark underground utilities. The planting hole should be no deeper than the tree’s root ball. Mulch should be applied around the base to help retain moisture.

SRP also recommends watering the tree’s feeder roots deeply. As the tree matures, these roots will spread to the drip line, the outer edge of the canopy, which should be the focus of irrigation.

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Full details and registration for workshops are available at: https://www.srpnet.com/energy-savings-rebates/home/shade-tree-workshop

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