Project Canopy to give away thousands of free tree saplings in Bemidji

Bemidji’s storm recovery will take another visible step Saturday, when Project Canopy gives away about 5,000 free tree saplings at the Sanford Center parking lot from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The drive is meant to help replace part of the canopy lost when millions of trees were destroyed across the Bemidji area last summer, and residents will be able to take as many as they need as long as requests remain reasonable.

The giveaway turns a symbolic goal into something residents can put in the ground right away. Trees lost in the June 21, 2025 destructive windstorm did more than alter the skyline. They stripped shade from yards, changed neighborhood character and left public spaces, homes and business corridors exposed to more sun, wind and heat. In a community where replanting will take years, Saturday’s handout is one small but measurable step toward restoring what the storm took away.

Project Canopy began with a $25,000 commitment from First National Bank Bemidji on July 23, 2025, in partnership with the Northwest Minnesota Foundation. Bank president Ryan Welle said the effort was designed to build momentum for a much bigger undertaking, noting that the bank’s first contribution “isn’t going to go very far.” He said the goal is to help the present community and future generations. The June 6 drive reflects that same idea: immediate relief for homeowners and a longer-term investment in the look and function of Bemidji’s streets, yards and public spaces.

Paul Bunyan Broadcasting is partnering on the giveaway with First National Bank Bemidji, Hubbard Media That Connects, Visit Bemidji, Minnesota Forest Industries, the Minnesota Timber Producer’s Association, West Fraser and the Minnesota Sustainable Forestry Initiative. That mix of media, banking, tourism and forestry organizations underscores how widely the storm’s damage spread and how much local rebuilding still depends on coordinated effort nearly a year later.

The need remains tied to the scale of the blowdown. Local coverage has repeatedly put the tree loss at about 9 million in the Bemidji area, and Beltrami County’s damage viewer identifies the event as the June 21, 2025 destructive windstorm in southern Beltrami County. State and local officials later said the damage did not qualify Minnesota for FEMA disaster assistance, leaving communities and landowners to rely on local recovery efforts, salvage work and replanting campaigns to fill the gap.