Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), announced Urban Forestry Grant (UF) recipients, funded through the Biden-Harris Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
The funds will go toward work such as removing hazardous trees, increasing the forest canopy through planting, supporting urban forestry workforce development, and using trees to reduce urban heat. Additionally, UF IRA will also help support Wisconsin’s goal of planting 1 million trees in urban areas.Â
The UF IRA Grant program uses federal funds from the USDA Forest Service to support projects that positively impact trees and people within disadvantaged communities in Wisconsin. According to the DNR, a well-managed urban forest increases property values, reduces stormwater runoff and erosion, improves air quality, and reduces energy used for heating and cooling.
Among the 13 projects receiving funding are:
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Ho Chunk Nation: $497,630, Ho Chunk Urban Forest Regeneration Program;
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Urban Tree Alliance: $450,062, neighborhood forest project; and
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Operation Fresh Start: $388,834, urban forestry empowerment initiative for disadvantaged communities;
Sixty-one applications were submitted, totaling more than $16.5 million in requests, exceeding the $4 million in available funds. The DNR encourages applicants to apply for the regular grants program in the next round, which is accepting applications now through Oct. 1. Communities and nonprofits are encouraged to learn about the next round of grants and apply.
