Set Up Guide

Park Memorial Tree Program

Program Overview: Memorial Tree Programs give park systems a unique way to connect families with the spaces they love. By offering tree dedications, parks provide families the chance to honor loved ones while directly contributing to the beauty, shade, and ecological health of public spaces. Whether placed along trails, near playgrounds, or in designated memorial groves, each tree dedication strengthens both the landscape and the community’s connection to it.

Set Up Guide for a Park Memorial Tree Program

1. Lay the Groundwork for Your Program

A Memorial Tree Program can become a signature feature of your park system. Families gain a meaningful way to remember loved ones, while parks gain lasting enhancements to their green spaces.

Select Planting Locations: Identify areas where memorial trees will enhance beauty and function—such as trailheads, picnic areas, lawns, or memorial gardens.
Choose Tree Species: Provide families with a curated list of species suited to your climate and maintenance capacity, ensuring strong growth and longevity.
Select Dedication Plaques: Determine plaque styles, sizes, and inscription guidelines. Samples help families picture their dedication.
Outline Guidelines: Establish expectations for planting timelines, care responsibilities, and how long the dedication will be maintained.
Set Pricing: Ensure costs cover the tree, planting, plaque, and long-term care. Transparency reduces confusion and builds trust.

Did You Know?

Parks that include long-term care and replacement in their tree pricing see higher participation and stronger donor satisfaction.

2. Simplify the Dedication Process

Planting a tree in memory of a loved one should be an easy and emotional experience. A clear, respectful process helps families feel confident that their tribute will be handled with care.

Online Webpage: A dedicated program webpage allows participants to view details, explore available tree options, and complete their dedication in one place.
Offer Online Payments: Allow donors to check out online with credit/debit cards, ACH Transfer, and automatically provide tax receipts.
Dedication Details: Collect the donor’s information, the name of the individual being honored, and the plaque inscription.
Map Out Locations: Digital park maps can help families visualize available planting sites, along walking trails, near playgrounds, or in memorial gardens.

Manage Park Memorial Programs Effortlessly

Digital tools can cut administrative time by more than 40%. A central system makes it easy to track tree dedications, organize plaques, and log maintenance, ensuring every memorial is honored with accuracy.

3. Keep Your Program Running Smoothly

A well-managed program eliminates the headaches of manual tracking, miscommunication, and back-and-forth questions. With a clear system in place, administrators save time while participants enjoy a smooth and reliable experience. Organization behind the scenes makes memorial giving easier for everyone and keeps the focus on what matters most.

Keep Track of Memorial Items: Maintaining accurate records of donor information, tree species, planting dates, and care plans creates accountability and consistency.
Stay on Top of Maintenance: A system for logging tree health checks, pruning schedules, and replanting ensures that memorials continue to thrive. In the rare event that a tree must be replaced due to natural causes, communicating with the family builds trust and maintains the connection to their legacy.
Celebrate Families: Publicly recognize new dedications through photos, newsletters, or social media posts.
Build Traditions: Tie new tree plantings to annual events like Arbor Day or Memorial Day to create community-wide traditions.