Shrubscriber brings together climate-conscious Edmontonians, nature lovers and gardeners to provide free trees for schools and community projects. Help build a biodiverse, food secure and climate-resilient city.

Members of the Shrubscriber Community:

• support communities with free trees and probably classes.
• believe in the power of nature-based solutions.
• are increasing their gardening and community-building skills.

Shrubscriber Values & Partners

Growing School and Community Gardens

School gardens provide healthy, fresh food while teaching kids about growing and connecting them to the natural world. Food for Thought fulfills an immediate need for healthy foods in Edmonton schools and is now looking to plant edible schoolyards.

Data-Driven Tree Planting

It is essential that Shrubscriber plants trees where they're needed the most. The Tomorrow Foundation is conducting a tree count of the Queen Alexandra neighbourhood to create a data-driven approach to community tree planting and mature tree conservation. 

Designing Greener Communities

Shrubscriber will be an essential source of trees and plants for community-driven partners. YEG Green Streets works with communities and the City of Edmonton to provide public landscaping solutions that beautify and highlight the unique identity of our neighbourhoods while building a sustainable green Edmonton.

Supporting An Urban Nursery Network

Shrubscriber supports local tree growers. The Forest City Plants Urban Nursery Network propagates thousands of trees in Edmonton urban farms and backyards. These trees have a small ecological footprint, are adapted to the local climate, and travel short distances from the nursery to forever homes.

Member Benefits

When you join the Shrubscriber community, you'll gain access to a growing network of local expertise, receive support for your greening goals, and attend member events, workshops, and courses.

Shrubscribers get a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to go from seed to community forests. Read About Some of Our Members Feature Members.

"Shrubscriber is a goldmine for being able to bring to life the idea of a forest, trees, and permaculture to students" -  Julie Kusiek, EPSB Trustee Ward F 

"I am the recipient of these trees and we are so thankful for this program!  My students are excited to watch the trees grow over their time at high school and many have mentioned they will come back in the future to see the fruits of their labours I will use these trees to teach some food literacy to the students.  The fruits of trees on site are used within our culinary program at school and others are picked by students of Natural Science and taken home to be enjoyed with their families!" - Scott McMillan, W.P.Wagner Natural Sciences Teacher

Shrubscribers may join the network as SEEDLING, TREE, or FOREST members:

SEEDLING Membership Perks

• Fund 3 trees per year and follow them from seed to community forest.
• Build your gardening and urban greening skills with support from a network of local experts.
• Explore monthly themes such as edible landscaping, building biodiversity, and heritage trees.
• Regular updates on community projects.

TREE Membership Perks 

• All of the SEEDLING perks
• Fund 6 trees per year
• Access free presentations
• Discount code for premium courses

FOREST Membership Perks

• All of the SEEDLING and TREE perks
• Fund 12 trees per year
• Invitation to a VIP event exploring a specialized activity or Shrubscriber supported partner.
• Public recognition for supporting community projects through Shrubscriber.com, ForestCityPlants.com, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How Is My Subscription Used?

Your membership funds trees AND community support like site selections and design. This one-two punch ensures healthy trees and the sustainability of Shrubscriber partners.

Membership Cost Breakdown:

Q: How Are Community Partners Picked?

Marginalized communities often have fewer trees, green spaces, and resources - let's fix that. Shrubscriber uses urban heat island, flooding, food security, and energy poverty data to identify community partners needing trees. 

Community partners are chosen based on three criteria:

1. Community Need 
   We could all use more trees, but some communities need them more, so let's plant trees where they'll do the best.

2. Project Sustainability
   The older a tree, the greater its benefits. Three hundred years from now, we want people saying, "That's a Shrubscriber tree!"

3. Public Access
   Trees are for everybody, so publicly accessible plantings have priority.

Q: How Does Shrubscriber Keep Track of Trees?

Members get updates on the growing and planting of trees and access to a detailed Shrubscriber Dashboard. The Dashboard is our digital status bar that reports on (1) the number of trees grown, (2) the number of trees funded, and (3) the number of trees planted.

Q: Can I Choose Where My Individual Trees Go?

Have you ever named a school of goldfish to realize later that you can't tell them apart? Unfortunately, growing and tracking thousands of trees is sometimes like that. So while we know that Meradith the Mulberry is somewhere in the mulberry patch, we won't be able to point her out with 100% certainty. We can confidently say that the mulberry patch wouldn't exist without your support.

Q: Will I Get to Choose What Trees To Grow?

The Shrubscriber community will influence the inventory of species we propagate, but the exact plants selected for community projects will depend on our community partners and their site conditions.

Q: Who Takes Care Of Our Trees?

Tree propagation and care are the responsibilities of the Forest City Plants Urban Nursery Network until trees are ready to be transplanted within the community.

After planting, community partners take on tree care and maintenance.

Q: How Large Are The Trees?

Shrubscriber trees are 1 to 3 years old when we plant them and are typically 10 and 24 inches tall, depending on the species.

Small but mighty! Small trees are easier to grow and transport and quicker to establish - often catching up and surpassing larger transplanted trees. Our trees are grown right here in Edmonton, so they're ready for our winters, unlike trees coming in from warmer climates.

Q: Can I Grow Trees For Shrubscriber?

You can! Shrubscribers support a growing nursery network of backyard tree growers. Want to grow plants for Shrubscriber? Contact the Forest City Plants Nursery Network.

If you don't know how to grow trees, you can learn through the Forest City Plant Propagation Course.

Q: Can I Get Involved as a Community Partner?

If you have a community-minded project that can benefit from free trees and consulting, consider becoming a member and taking advantage of our growing network of local experts.

To submit a proposal for trees and consulting, send us and message.

Q: Does Shrubscriber Only Grow Trees For Projects In Edmonton?

We're in Edmonton, but we believe that food security and climate change adaptation are essential for all municipalities - the world needs more trees.

So while we're focussing on Edmonton, we'd like to grow the project over time.

Q: Can I Gift A Shrubscriber Membership?

You sure can! Send us an email if you would like to buy a Shrubscriber membership on behalf of someone else. Upon payment, we will share an access link with the person of your choice.

Q: Why Are Memberships Annual?

Growing trees takes time, and we want to share the journey, so we ask our members to sign up for a one-year commitment. But, we promise it's worth it for you and the trees!

Q: Why Are Shrubscriber Plans In US Dollars?

Shrubscriber.com uses Mightly Networks, a platform designed to create community, host events, and deliver courses. We understand that the USD thing is a pain in the butt, BUT a future update will allow Shurbscriber to convert existing plans to Canadian Currency.

Become A Shrubscriber Today!

Have A Question? Send Us An Email