Want a free beer? Step up to help care for Minneapolis' urban forest
MINNEAPOLIS – Minnesota's trees are dealing with the impacts of our recent dry streak.
In Minneapolis, pledging to care for the "urban forest" could help quench your own thirst, too.
Adopting a tree through the volunteer network Brewing a Better Forest will earn you a free beer or coffee.
All it takes is watering the tree once a week. The program is focused on street and boulevard trees more than trees in parks.
"If you happen to have a hose nearby you can just drag it out," said Philip Potyondy, who helps run BBF.
Potyondy is also a sustainable forestry coordinator for the Minneapolis Park Board.
Thousands of Minneapolis trees have been adopted, but tens of thousands are still unclaimed.
"We thought why not? We love to garden, why not take care of some stuff on the boulevard, too?" said Matt Hoffman, who adopted the gingko tree in front of his home.
Hoffman says the free beer was a nice perk, "but it's more for the cause of the neighborhood and trying to keep up on the green space."
Potyondy says keeping a tree properly watered takes 20 gallons a week during weeks without much rain. He says that amount of water will cost about $4 for the entire growing season.
If the water is going into the sidewalk or street, the flow from the hose is too fast.