Powell-area residents can pick up free native trees and shrubs in September through Friends of the Lower Olentangy Watershed, the nonprofit known as FLOW.

Registration for the 2026 giveaway opened Sept. 1, according to FLOW's website. The trees and shrubs are available at no cost to residents and businesses within the lower Olentangy River watershed.

FLOW grows between 2,000 and 3,000 trees each year at three nurseries. All the work is volunteer-driven. The saplings start as freshly propagated cuttings called "whips," are potted and nurtured through a growing season, then distributed every fall.

David Poole, writing in FLOW's Sept. 1 announcement, said the program relies on many talented individuals, including former professional nurserymen, and that hundreds of volunteers provide the labor.

This year, FLOW is offering multiple pickup days at its Worthington Tree Nursery, 6099 Godown Rd., Columbus. Thursday morning slots run Sept. 3, 10, 17 and 24 from 9 to 11 a.m. A Saturday pickup on Sept. 26 runs from 10 a.m. to noon and again from 1 to 3 p.m., according to a post shared on the City of Worthington's Facebook page on Aug. 12.

The trees serve a practical purpose beyond shade. Bank erosion along the Olentangy and its tributaries sends clay and excess nutrients into the water, creating the brownish color residents often see after rainstorms. Tree roots stabilize soil and reduce that runoff, according to FLOW.

FLOW has monitored the river since 1987 and started its tree program around 1995. The organization conducts water-quality sampling with the Ohio State University chemistry department and has identified 19 streams with poor water quality in the lower Olentangy watershed.

Residents can register for a tree or shrub on FLOW's website.

Upcoming FLOW events

  • FLOW tree giveaway pickups: Thursdays, Sept. 3, 10, 17 and 24, 9–11 a.m., and Saturday, Sept. 26, 10 a.m.–noon and 1–3 p.m., Worthington Tree Nursery, 6099 Godown Rd., Columbus
  • FLOW Stormwater 5K Run: Sunday, Oct. 4, Powell. Register at runsignup.com/Race/OH/Powell/FLOWStormwaterRunoff5K