Creating Canopy is Penn’s annual tree giveaway program for University and health system employees. The event is a partnership between Penn, Tree Philly, and Morris Arboretum & Gardens.

Penn supports adding greenery to urban areas, especially in the greater Philadelphia region, by providing free trees to staff and faculty of the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Pennsylvania Hospital System. Since the first Creating Canopy event in 2011, Penn has distributed over 2,500 trees.

Creating Canopy happens each spring. Staff and faculty of the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Pennsylvania Health System are invited to register for a free tree two weeks before the giveaway event. To register, visit https://sustainability.upenn.edu/get-involved/opportunities/creating-canopy-tree-giveaway.

Trees will be available to reserve on a first-come, first-served basis and only through online registration. As part of Penn Sustainability’s support of the City of Philadelphia’s Philly Tree Plan, priority registration will be given to Philadelphia residents.

Priority registration will begin on Monday, April 21, 2025, at 10 a.m. for Penn and UPHS staff and faculty who are City of Philadelphia residents. Open registration will begin on Thursday, May 1, 2025, at 10 a.m. for all Penn and UPHS staff and faculty. There is a limit of one tree per household. Addresses, zip codes, and registration times will be verified.

When you register, you will select a time to pick up your tree. In order to keep traffic moving, please arrive during your chosen time slot. The tree pickup event will be on Thursday, May 8, 2025, from 3-6 p.m. at the Penn Park Parking Lot (3100 Lower Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104).

The responsibility is yours to get your new tree home; bring your car or arrange a ride. Some past tree recipients have made creative use of wagons or hand trucks to transport their trees.

The young trees that you pick up will vary in size. Some trees are two feet tall, while others are nine feet. You’ll want to be sure your tree will fit in your vehicle. You may wish to bring a plastic tarp or blanket to protect your car from moisture and soil.