For Immediate Release Contact: Eric Seaborn
January 26, 2007 617-626-1468
STATE ANNOUNCES 2007 URBAN FORESTRY CHALLENGE GRANTS
Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Acting Commissioner Priscilla E. Geigis today announced the awarding of 12 Urban and Community Forestry Challenge grants, totaling over $133,000.
The grants were awarded to projects that promote sustainable urban and community forestry programs, fund the re-planting of highly urbanized areas with street trees, or encourage diverse involvement in the care of community trees and forests. The grant program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service and the Mass ReLeaf Trust, a state fund established to accept private donations for urban forestry projects.
“On behalf of Governor Deval Patrick, I’m happy to announce funding for these projects that involve communities in the planning, growth and management of our urban forests,” said Acting Commissioner Geigis. “Efforts like these are key to the long-term sustainability of healthy, strong and green communities.”
Urban and community forests are the trees, plants and
associated ecosystems anywhere people are: planted trees in city sidewalks,
town forests and conservation areas, even private backyards. By protecting and enhancing these resources,
urban and community foresters help improve the quality
of life in their communities.
Over the past eight years, DCR has awarded 178 Urban Forestry Challenge grants totaling more than $1.1 million. For more information on the Urban Forestry grant program, contact DCR Urban Forestry Coordinator Eric Seaborn at 617-626-1468.
For more information, including grant writing resources and related grant opportunities, please see http://www.mass.gov/dcr/stewardship/forestry/urban/urbanGrants.htm.
A list of grant awards is attached.
DCR 2007 Urban and Community Forestry Challenge
Grants
City of Fall River – $15,000 grant/$15,000 Local
Match
The grant will
fund the hiring of an urban forestry consultant and certified arborist to
implement the actions and practices articulated in the City’s new Urban Forest
Management plan (the plan was developed with prior DCR funding). The consultant will also educate City personnel,
volunteer Tree Stewards and the public about urban forestry issues. Contact: Richard Kitchen, Tree Warden,
508-324-2550.
Town of Franklin – $1,095 grant/$1,095 Local
Match
Two trees will
be planted on the grounds of the historic Franklin Public Library, the oldest
library in the United States. These
trees will replace trees that had to be removed because they had become
hazardous. Contact: Phil Brunelli, Tree Warden, 508-520-4911.
Town of Dedham – $5,000 grant/$6,500 Local Match
Twenty-four
trees will be planted along East Street, a major thoroughfare of the
community. Contact: William Keegan, Town
Administrator, 781-751-9100.
Town of Milton – $15,050 grant/ $15,985 Local
Match
The Town will
use the grant to complete a public tree inventory, form a new tree committee,
and create a public awareness campaign about the value of the community’s
trees. The grant will also fund the
planting of 20 trees along Eliot Street.
Contact: Reva Levin, DPW Program Manager, 617-898-4871.
Worcester Housing Authority (WHA) – $9,745
grant/$11,377 Local Match
Forty-eight
trees will be planted on the grounds of two separate public housing facilities
managed by the WHA. Contact: Frank Whitty,
Modernization Director, 508-635-3304.
City of New Bedford – $20,000 grant/$20,000
Local Match
One hundred
trees will be planted in downtown areas of the City that currently lack trees. Contact: Ronald Labelle, Commissioner, Department
of Public Infrastructure, 508-979-1556.
City of Cambridge – $25,650 grant/$25,690 Local
Match
Fifty-seven
trees will be planted along Prospect Street in the center of the City. Contact: Jeff Roberts, Community Development
Director, 617-349-4639.
Town of Sutton - $1,530 grant/$1,540 Local Match
The grant will provide
arboricultural care for two Heritage Trees identified by the community. Contact: Jennifer Hager, Town Planner, 508-865-8729.
Groundwork Lawrence - $20,000 grant/$26,900
Local Match
The grant will
be used to conduct an Arbor Day celebration with the Tarbox
School in downtown Lawrence; prune trees along a “Heritage Tree Corridor”
identified by the City; remove and replace dead and dying trees in the center
of the City; plant 25 new trees in the North Common neighborhood; and, implement
a poster contest with students at the Tarbox School
related to the importance of trees.
Contact: Maggie Super Church, Executive Director, 978-974-0770.
Town of Framingham - $3,260 grant/$3,930 Local
Match
Twelve trees
will be planted in two highly visible areas of Framingham. This project will be funded with Memorial
Tree funds designated for the Town and held in
the Mass ReLeaf Trust Fund. Contact: Daniel Nau,
Tree Warden, 508-532-6030.
Town of Andover - $15,000 grant/$5,000 Local
Match
Fifty trees
will be planted in the Ballardvale section of Andover
to replace trees removed by National Grid.
This project will be funded with monies donated to the Mass ReLeaf Trust Fund by National Grid to help mitigate some of
the effects of their aggressive new hazard tree removal program. DCR and National Grid have entered into a
partnership to offer these grant funds to communities affected by National Grid’s
hazard tree removal work. Contact: Randy
Pickersgill, Tree Warden, 978-623-8282.
First Church of Christ, Springfield - $2,121
grant/$2,289 Local Match
Eleven trees
will be planted in the downtown business district of Springfield by volunteers
from the Church. This is a partnership
between the City, the Springfield Business Improvement district and the Church,
and will be funded with monies donated to the Mass ReLeaf
Trust Fund by the Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ
(MACUCC). This would be another project
in the partnership program of DCR and the MACUCC to plant trees in lower income
neighborhoods and urbanized communities of the state. Contact: Jeff Keck, Director, Springfield
Business Improvement District, 413-781-1591.
Total Grant Funds: $133,451
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