San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) is giving qualified residential customers a financial incentive of $35 to improve community environments and grow the overall green canopy across San Diego County.
Through SDG&E’s Community Tree Rebate Program, residential customers will be assisted in plantain trees and other plant species that will provide direct environmental, health, and economic benefits throughout the region. The program is designed for customers in service areas that are in particular need of trees.
Qualifying SDG&E residential customers will receive a $35 rebate for planting or potting a one to five-gallon tree or plant species. Participating customers may receive up to five rebates annually.
According to SDG&E, you do not need a yard to qualify, as trees or other plant species can also be planted in large containers or on outdoor balconies or patio areas.
“Your participation in this program helps out communities by supporting local biodiversity, improving air quality and sequestering carbon,” SDG&E wrote in a statement.
According to new aerial survey data from the U.S. Forest Service, an estimated 9.5 million trees died from bugs, disease, and dehydration in 2021. The run of mortality since 2010 now exceeds 172 million trees.
The 2021 survey data found that San Diego County had an estimated 4,000 acres with mortality and an estimated 20,000 dead trees.
The SDG&E Community Tree Rebate Program is a pilot, set to end on October 31, 2022 or when funds have been depleted, but the program may be extended in future years, based on results and customer interest.
Find out if your zip code qualifies you for the program at sdge.com/Tree-Rebate.
