East Grand Rapids and Caledonia Receive Forestry Grants Worth Over $19,000

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has announced that grants totaling $91,070 for urban forestry projects statewide will be awarded to 12 recipients in nine counties.

East Grand Rapids and the Village of Caledonia will receive over $19,000 combined.

The competitive grant program – a cooperative effort between the DNR and the U.S. Forest Service – funds projects that help create and sustain local urban forestry programs. This year grants were awarded for community tree inventories, management plans, education and training activities and Arbor Day projects that enhance and promote urban and community forestry in Michigan.

East Grand Rapids will receive $15,000. Caledonia will receive $4,300.

"Properly managed trees in urban areas help to create healthy and vibrant communities and improve the environment," said Kevin Sayers, DNR Urban and Community Forestry Program coordinator. “These projects will help enhance community capacity to manage trees and to improve public awareness about the multiple benefits they provide.”

The grants are federally funded through the Forest Service’s State and Private Forestry program. Cost-share funds are available to local units of government, schools, tribal governments and nonprofit organizations. The grants require one-to-one matching funds toward projects performed on nonfederal, public lands or lands open to the public. Grant awards have been distributed for projects to be completed by Sept. 1, 2016.