WASHINGTON, Sept. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — American Forests, the oldest national conservation organization in the US, announced they are distributing over $25 million in grants from to 36 communities for equitable urban and community forestry projects via its Tree Equity Catalyst Fund. The funding, a portion of $50 million received from the USDA Forest Service, Urban and Community Forestry Program as part of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA), will help bring the many benefits of trees and urban greening to communities across the country, especially those that have been historically disadvantaged. These investments are critical — according to American Forests’ renowned Tree Equity Score, lower-income communities tend to have 26% less tree cover and are almost 6°F hotter than wealthier ones. Communities of color – regardless of income – tend to have 38% less tree cover and are 13°F hotter than white communities.

“This first round of Catalyst Fund grants comes just after another summer of record temperatures felt across the country,” said Jad Daley, President and Chief Executive Officer at American Forests. “Extreme heat is killing more people in the U.S. than any other type of severe weather and Tree Equity presents a practical solution to address it. We are excited to work alongside these community leaders to provide much needed cooling relief and climate justice to some of our most vulnerable populations through critical tree infrastructure.”

Over the past five years, American Forests has led and mobilized a nationwide Tree Equity movement to address inequitable tree cover in cities and its life-or-death implications. Through this work, American Forests launched this Tree Equity Catalyst Fund after helping unlock the IRA’s $1.5 billion financing for urban forestry — the largest-ever federal investment in Tree Equity.

This community funding is a key part of American Forests’ goal to help at least 100 cities make meaningful progress on Tree Equity by 2030 through best-in-class tools, resources and equitable grantmaking to local leaders on the frontlines of building Tree Equity in their communities. The 33 municipalities and three community-based organizations in this first round are located across the Midwest and Northeast, receiving grants ranging from $100,000 to $2 million to support initiatives including equitable tree planning and planting, nursery development, community engagement, workforce development and more.

The cities and organizations awarded are: City of Kewanee, IL; City of Springfield, IL; Village of Rantoul, IL; City of Elkhart, IN; City of Bloomington, IN; City of Huntington, IN; City of Goshen, IN; City of Kalamazoo, MI; City of Sterling Heights, MI; City of Ann Arbor, MI; City of Jackson, MI; City of Pontiac, MI; City of Richfield, MN; City of Shoreview, MN; Onondaga Earth Corps (located in City of Syracuse, NY); Village of Haverstraw, NY; Village of Lancaster, PA; Olmsted City (located in Utica, NY); City of Yonkers, NY; Town of Smithtown, NY; City of Albany, NY; Village of Hastings-on-Hudson, NY; City of Kingston, NY; City of Long Beach, NY; City of Glens Falls, NY; City of Coshocton, OH; City of Fostoria, OH; City of Obetz, OH; City of Port Clinton, OH; City of Bowling Green, OH; City of Xenia, OH; City of Lancaster, NY; Borough of Mechanicsburg, PA; City of Allentown, PA; City of Easton, PA; Community Foundation for the Alleghenies, Inc (located in City of Johnstown, PA). Some of the projects include:

• Goshen, IN: In collaboration with The Crossing School of Business and Entrepreneurship, Mennonite Men and Buschelcraft Farm, the City of Goshen is launching a county-wide arboricultural training program aimed at youth to build a pipeline of the next generation of urban foresters. The initiative is a critical effort in achieving the city’s ambitious goal of increasing tree canopy from 20% to 45% by 2045.
• Olmsted City (Utica, NY): Olmsted City, a community-based organization, is leading the efforts to revitalize F.T. Proctor Park, a historical landmark in the City of Utica. This project is driven by the City of Utica and Wild Ones Mohawk Valley, an advocate for sustainable landscaping, along with support from The Center—an agency dedicated to resettling refugees from 40+ countries and other local organizations. The park will benefit from tree planting, nature-based water management, invasive species management and more, transforming into a vibrant, green public space for the city and its diverse residents.
• Sterling Heights, MI: Sterling Heights recently launched The Sterling Heights Urban Reforestation Initiative (SHURI) to combat the loss of around 12,000 mature trees caused by an Emerald Ash Borer infestation. The city will plant over 1,000 trees in underserved neighborhoods to address disparities in tree cover among residential properties and boost tree density per acre. Working across municipal departments and alongside residents, this effort will be critical to reach the city’s goal of 40% tree canopy.

“American Forests is proud to support these cities and organizations and provide them with the funding and tools necessary to drive community action toward equitable tree canopy in their communities,” said Benita Hussain, Chief Program Officer of Tree Equity at American Forests. “From tackling extreme heat to reducing air pollution, tree canopy is essential for healthy, thriving communities. We are grateful to the USDA Forest Service, Congress, the Department of Agriculture and the Biden-Harris administration for this investment through the Inflation Reduction Act so we can advance Tree Equity and ensure all communities receive these targeted environmental investments.”

The next round of funding will be launched in early fall and will focus on faith-based and frontline environmental justice organizations across the country. This additional $12 million investment aims to support communities at the forefront of climate justice efforts.

USDA and American Forests are equal opportunity providers and employers.

ABOUT AMERICAN FORESTS: American Forests is the first national nonprofit conservation organization created in the U.S. Since its founding in 1875, the organization has been the pathfinders for the forest conservation movement. Its mission is to create healthy and resilient forests, from cities to large natural landscapes, that deliver essential benefits for climate, people, water and wildlife. The organization advances its mission through forestry, innovation, place-based partnerships to plant and restore forests, and movement building. For more information visit: www.americanforests.org.

Media Contact

Sunjay Lee, American Forests, 1 929 302 2979, [email protected]

SOURCE American Forests