The Savannah Tree Foundation (STF), a local nonprofit committed to protecting and growing the tree canopy in Savannah and Chatham County, hosted its annual Trick or Trees giveaway on 26 October 2024 in conjunction with the 2024 International Tree Climbing Championship (ITCC).

Trick or Trees is a Halloween-themed event that celebrates the benefits of trees by distributing trees to community members. This year, the Savannah Tree Foundation hosted the event for the third time.

"Our goal is to get as many native species of tree out to private properties as we can," said Zoe Rinker, the executive director of the Savannah Tree Foundation. "85 percent of the property in Chatham County is privately owned, and when a big storm comes through, we see a lot of tree loss, so we're trying to encourage people to go back and plant trees rather than cutting them down.

The organization gave away approximately 750 trees, 30 percent of which were grown at the foundation's community tree nursery.

Rinker said that a big part of the event is educating the public about proper tree care and their benefits.

"It's pretty simple to plant a tree, but keeping it alive is slightly more difficult," she said. "We want to make sure we have the resources available."

One of the resources available at the event was ISA Certified Arborist® Jake Henry with the Georgia Arborist Association.

"The biggest thing we teach people is the right tree in the right place and making sure people plant a tree that is the appropriate size for their available location," Henry said. "We teach them how the tree grows, what kind of maintenance they'll have to do, and some of the benefits."

Henry used to work with the Savannah Tree Foundation, and although he currently works for the county, he said he still tries to find time to volunteer. He said that he earned his certification because he became fascinated with arboriculture and urban forestry, and the ISA certification helped him expand his knowledge.

"I like to see people excited about trees, especially after a big hurricane like Helene," he said. It's fun teaching people about trees. Some people already know what they're doing, and sometimes they don't. People who come to this event are usually willing to learn, and it's a fun time."

The 2024 ITCC occurred in Daffin Park in Savannah, Georgia, with more than 90 competitors.

"We didn't want to split the attention of tree lovers in Savannah, so we decided to unite with ISA to drive traffic from our supporters to ISA and vice versa," Rinker said. "We're all about partnership, so we're excited to be able to share this event and be a part of the greater tree community.”