Eleven urban forestry projects in seven Michigan counties will share $89,590 in community forestry funding administered by the DNR.
The grants range from $250 for an Arbor Day celebration in Wayne County’s Sumpter Township to $20,000 each for tree inventories in Coldwater and Rochester Hills.
The competitive grant program – a cooperative effort between the DNR and the U.S. Forest Service – funds projects that help create and sustain local urban forestry programs. This year’s grants will help facilitate better community forestry management through tree inventories and management planning activities. Other projects focus on Arbor Day celebrations and education and training projects.
“National studies report declining tree canopy cover in urban areas across the country,” said Kevin Sayers, the DNR’s Urban and Community Forestry program coordinator. “These projects will help Michigan communities to better manage and sustain these important public natural resources.”
The grants are federally funded through the U.S. Forest Service’s State and Private Forestry, Urban and Community Forestry program. Funds are available to local units of government, schools, tribal governments and nonprofit organizations. The grants require one-to-one matching funds toward projects performed on nonfederal, public lands or lands that are open to the public. Grant awards have been distributed for projects to be completed by Sept. 1, 2019.
The full list of grant recipients and other information about the program are available at michigan.gov/ucf. For more information, contact Kevin Sayers at 517-284-5898.
