Quick answer: Denver’s Be A Smart Ash program offers a free tree, planted for you, if you have room in the public right-of-way next to your property. A separate no-cost program removes and replaces small, poor-condition ash trees in the right-of-way. Neither covers ash trees in your yard, which remain the owner’s responsibility.
The city has been preparing for emerald ash borer since 2016. This guide explains what its programs cover and what they leave to you. Program details change, so confirm them at BeASmartAsh.org. For ash trees on private property, see ash tree removal in Denver.
What do the city programs cover?
| Program | What it does | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Free tree planting | A non-ash tree is delivered and planted for you | Public right-of-way next to your property |
| Ash removal and replacement | Small, poor-condition ash are removed and replaced at no cost | Public right-of-way |
| Ash treatment | The city treats selected large, healthy ash | Public right-of-way and city land |
| Denver Digs Trees (The Park People) | Free or low-cost street and yard trees | Right-of-way and private yards |
How does the free tree program work?
- You apply through Be A Smart Ash.
- A city arborist visits, checks the space, marks where a tree can go and recommends a non-ash species for the spot.
- The tree is delivered and planted.
There has to be adequate space. The program asks for 35 feet from large shade trees and 25 feet from ornamental trees. The trees are a public amenity and must go in the right-of-way, not in your yard. Common species are listed in what to plant instead of ash in Denver.
What is the ash removal and replacement program?
Be A Smart Ash describes it as a no-cost program that targets small, poor-condition ash trees in the public right-of-way within the City and County of Denver, with applications accepted year-round. It began in 2020 under the name Ash GAP.
How much has the city done so far?
When emerald ash borer was confirmed in June 2025, Denverite reported that the city had treated about 6,000 ash trees and removed about 1,000 in the public right-of-way, and had planted about 1,500 non-ash trees. A parks spokesperson said about 27,000 of Denver’s ash trees are in the right-of-way. The other several hundred thousand are on private property.
What is left to property owners?
- Every ash tree in your own yard
- Deciding whether to treat or remove it. See should you treat or remove your ash tree?
- The cost of treatment or removal on private property
- Day-to-day care of the right-of-way trees next to your property
If you are not sure which of your trees are ash, start with how to identify an ash tree. The background is in our guide to emerald ash borer in Denver.
Denver ash program FAQs
Will Denver remove my ash tree for free?
Only in limited cases. The no-cost program targets small, poor-condition ash trees in the public right-of-way. Ash trees in your yard are your responsibility.
Can I get a free tree for my yard in Denver?
The city’s free trees must be planted in the right-of-way. For yard trees, The Park People’s Denver Digs Trees program offers free or low-cost trees to Denver residents.
Does the city treat ash trees on private property?
No. The city treats selected large, healthy ash trees in the right-of-way and on city land. Treating or removing an ash on private property is up to the owner.
