The Department of Natural Resources today announced the award of 35 grants totaling $178,224 for urban forestry projects statewide. This competitive grant program, a cooperative effort between the DNR and the USDA Forest Service, funds projects that help create and sustain local urban forestry programs. Grants are awarded for tree planting, community tree inventories, management plans, and education/training projects which enhance and promote urban forestry in Michigan.
Click here for this year's award recipients.

The grants are federally funded through the USDA Forest Service's State and Private Forestry Program. Cost-share funds are available to local units of government, schools, tribal governments, and nonprofit entities [501(c)3)]. Grants require 1:1 matching funds toward projects performed on non-federal, public lands or lands open to the public. Grant awards will be distributed in November for projects to be completed by Sept. 1, 2010.

For more information, contact Kevin Sayers, DNR, Urban Forestry coordinator, at (517) 241-4632, or visit www.mi.gov/dnrucf.