Inflation Reduction Grants to be Received by Urban Forestry Projects in the Area

By Better Today On Mar 30, 2024

TL/DR –

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry has awarded almost $5.5 million in grants for 36 urban forestry projects across the state. The funds, part of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Urban Forestry Grant Program, will be used for staffing, urban forestry planning, training, risk mitigation, and tree planting. Two grant programs have been made available for non-profits, with grants of up to $50,000 available for emerging programs and up to $1 million available for established programs.

Ohio Department of Natural Resources Allocates Nearly $5.5 million for Urban Forestry Projects

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry has granted close to $5.5 million to 36 urban forestry projects across Ohio via the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Urban Forestry Grant Program. Communities including Chillicothe, Portsmouth, Logan, Jackson, and Washington Court House, along with Greenfield and Baltimore villages are recipients of this funding.

ODNR Division of Forestry Chief, Dan Balser, expressed satisfaction in aiding local urban forestry programs. He emphasized that these programs bring vital benefits to urban communities across the state through the proliferation of trees.

Nonprofit organizations in Ohio were allowed to apply for two types of grant programs. The grants target projects aimed at enhancing burgeoning and established urban forestry programs, with a focus on expanding tree coverage in underserved communities.

The grants, reaching up to $50,000 for emergent programs and $1 million for established ones, will be used to bolster areas such as staffing, training, risk mitigation, tree planting, and establishment. Carrie Morrow, Urban & Community Forestry Program Manager with the Division of Forestry, highlighted how these grants can supplement lean urban forestry budgets and foster the development of community forests, benefiting all Ohioans.

The USDA Forest Service provides these IRA grant funds to the ODNR Forestry. The grants from this cycle form part of $9 million from the IRA allocated to Ohio for forestry, marking the largest pass-through grant ever managed by the Division of Forestry. For a comprehensive list of awards, click here.