DNR grants available for urban trees

Indiana DNR Release:

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry's 2009 grant program Make Your Trees Count makes available approximately $110,000 in grant funds for municipalities and non-profits to use for public tree inventories and tree-planting projects.

Applicants may request funds ranging from $2,500 to $15,000. Projects must show an equal match, which can be a mix of cash and in-kind services. All projects must be in an urban area or in an area being impacted by urban sprawl.

The presence of forest within urban areas has been shown to positively benefit cities and towns, and those who live and work in cities and towns, environmentally, psychologically, socially, economically, and recreationally.

“Trees can mitigate a host of environmental issues. That is why the tree planting projects approved for funding will be ones that are planned to specifically target issues such as energy conservation, air, and water quality,” said John Seifert, State Forester.

The urban forestry funds available for this grant program are made possible by a 2009 grant awarded to the DNR's Community and Urban Forestry (CUF) program by the USDA Forest Service. The deadline for application is Oct. 30. Awards will be announced in late November.

Grant applications and further information can be obtained by contacting Pam Louks, CUF coordinator, at (317) 591-1170, plouks@dnr.IN.gov, or at 5750 Glenn Road, Indianapolis, IN, 46216.