Sunday, Altadena Nursery Concludes Tree Giveaway to Help Restore Canopy Lost in Eaton Fire

Plant Material, a California native plant nursery located at 3081 Lincoln Avenue in Altadena, will conclude its two-day tree giveaway on December 14, 2025, as part of its annual Winter Market. The event is aimed at helping restore the community’s tree canopy, more than half of which — and by some estimates as much as 70 percent — was destroyed in the Eaton Fire earlier this year.

Before January Eaton Fire, Altadena had approximately 28,000 trees; today, only about 10,000 remain after fire damage and debris removal.

Plant Material said it has secured about 1,000 native trees donated by its growing partners for the giveaway.

According to a December 5 announcement on the nursery’s website, residents affected by the fire were invited to register through a Google Form, which could take up to 24 hours to validate. Once approved, recipients could select up to two trees free of charge.

The inventory included Engelmann oak, coast live oak, canyon oak, California buckeye, alders, and native cypress species. Co-owner Matt Burrows described the selection as “extremely high-quality trees from our growing partners that people can plant in their yards or hold onto for a little bit if they need a little bit more time.”

Burrows and his partner Heather, who lost their home in the fire, organized the giveaway despite personal losses.

“Costs to rebuild are coming in astronomically high,” Burrows said. “There’s not going to be a lot of money left over for landscaping, so in the future, I really hope to do this again as people are finishing their homes and looking to do more gardening.”

The Winter Market, held both Saturday and Sunday, December 13–14 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., also featured local vendors and crafts. Running concurrently was “Ornaments for Altadena,” an initiative by Eaton Fire survivors to provide donated holiday decorations to families who lost theirs.

The giveaway joins broader community efforts to restore Altadena’s urban forest.

Amigos de los Rios has launched a watering program to save 6,000 to 10,000 surviving mature trees. Altadena Green is advocating for preservation of fire-damaged but recoverable trees. The CSUN Urban Forestry Project has announced plans to plant or distribute 300 trees, while AltadenaWild has already given away 300 saplings.

Claire Robinson of Amigos de los Rios emphasized the urgency: “We need the trees for the heat, we need the trees for the protection they provide from the fire. We need [trees] for the sense of history and place.” A volunteer added: “Every tree we lose, it’s a fraction of a degree. The urban forest keeps us cool.” Residents receiving support have described the efforts as “very, very touching,” with some planning to rebuild homes around surviving trees to ensure they are not disturbed.

The event is the Plant Material Winter Market and Tree Giveaway. The final session takes place Sunday, December 14, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The cost is free, with 1,000 native trees donated by Plant Material’s growing partners available to Eaton Fire survivors. The venue is Plant Material nursery, 3081 Lincoln Avenue, Altadena, CA 91001. For more, visit: https://plant-material.com/blogs/news/trees-for-altadena.