POST FALLS - Talk about a tree-mendous gift to Post Falls residents.

Three-thousand free landscape trees will be given out Saturday at Q'emiln Park from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. as part of Arbor Day activities.

The retail value of the trees is about $100 each, making the donation from Robinson Nursery in Amity, Ore., a $300,000 gift.

The tree giveaway, in its eighth year, wasn't held last year because of the recession and the nursery didn't have the oversupply of trees that it had during other years, said Brendan Murphy, Post Falls urban forester.

"These trees give an enormous value to the community," Murphy said. "Not only do they increase the urban forest for the aesthetic value, they purify the stormwater runoff, provide shade to save on air-conditioning costs, clean the air and protect the ground from erosion."

Neither Rick Robinson, owner of Robinson Nursery, nor his son, Josh, could be reached for comment on Wednesday.

Murphy estimates $3 million worth of trees have been donated to the community since the program began.

The program's sponsors, which fund the transportation of the trees, are development-oriented businesses JUB Engineering, Pioneer Title Co., Panhandle State Bank and Peter Faust of Century 21 Beutler and Associates.

The event is intended for Post Falls residents, but the cities of Coeur d'Alene, Hayden and Spokane, part of the Community Canopy program with Post Falls, pre-ordered some for park areas and greenspace.

There is a limit of three trees per household. The trees include oak, maple, horn beam and ninebark. Thebareroot trees are 5 to 8 feet tall, but will grow to 20 to 50 feet upon maturity. The trees will need to be planted within a few days.

Mayor Clay Larkin will read an Arbor Day proclamation at 9 a.m. at a picnic shelter near the trees and boat launch at the park to kick off the event.