POST FALLS - What do local residents get when Arbor Day celebrations roll around each spring?

A tree-mendous gift.

More than 3,000 free bareroot landscape trees from an anonymous donor will be available on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Q'emiln Park in Post Falls.

"Each household is allowed to choose up to three trees to take home, plant and look after," said Brendan Murphy, Post Falls urban forester.

"These trees are an enormous value to the community. 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."

The retail value of the trees is about $100 each, making the donation a value of $300,000.

The tree giveaway program is in its ninth year and about 30,000 trees have been given away to date. The total estimated value of the trees since the program began is more than $3 million.

The trees - available to any area residents - include red maple, chokecherry, linden, ninebark, plum and weeping pussy willow.

Trees were made available to nonprofits, schools, homeowner associations, churches and other groups on Thursday.

The program is organized and hosted by Post Falls' urban forestry and parks divisions.

Sponsors that funded the shipping costs are: JUB Engineering, Pioneer Title Company, Panhandle State Bank, Century 21 real estate and Cannon Hill Industries. Other contributors are Starbucks of Post Falls, Super 1 Foods and Subway.

Murphy said the event has many helping hands as about 75 volunteers assist.