Lake Bluff residents can claim a free oak tree seedling as part of a village-wide celebration of America's 250th anniversary.

Growing Native Habitat Lake Bluff is distributing 250 oak seedlings at no cost, connecting the giveaway to its ongoing Witness Tree Quest, which challenges neighbors to find the oldest trees in the village. The organization says the young oaks will grow into "the Witness Trees for future generations."

Details on how to claim a seedling are available at growingnativehabitatlb.org/oak-tree-seedling-giveaway. The trees are free while supplies last.

The Witness Tree Quest

The quest, which kicked off May 1, runs through September 30. Participants search for wide-trunked trees on both private and public property within School District 65 boundaries, then measure and document them using a simple process: identify the species with a phone app, measure the trunk circumference at 4.5 feet above the ground, and calculate the estimated age using growth factors from the Morton Arboretum.

According to the organization's website, much of the North Shore was heavily logged in the 1800s, but Lake Bluff was not. Some oaks in the village may predate the first settlers' arrival in 1836. The organization speculates a few could even date to 1776, hence the connection to the semiquincentennial.

How to participate

Entry forms are available at the Village Hall, the Lake Bluff Library, the Park District Office, the History Museum, the little free library in Artesian Park, and at the farmers market. Completed forms can be dropped off at those same locations or emailed to [email protected].

Participants need a phone for species identification and geolocating, plus a tape measure. The organization recommends apps like PictureThis, Seek, or PlantNet for identifying tree species.

Both programs are part of the "Celebrate 250 – Lake Bluff Style" initiative, a village-wide effort marking the nation's 250th anniversary.

The September 30 deadline applies to the Witness Tree Quest. The seedling giveaway does not list a closing date, so residents interested in planting an oak should visit the website before supplies run out.