The U.S. Department of Agriculture has now announced the USDA Forest Service is to spend more than $1 billion in nearly 400 grant awards nationwide. They say that is intended to to increase access to trees and the social, health, and economic benefits they provide.

Of the total funding, the Forest Service awarded over $94 million to community-based organizations, tribes, municipal and state governments, non-profit partners, universities, and other eligible entities across the Pacific Northwest Region. The US Forest Service says that these investments will plant and maintain trees in disadvantaged urban communities, tackle the climate crisis, and support jobs and workforce development.

The funding, through President Biden's controversial Inflation Reduction Act, is part of a $1.5 billion investment in the Forest Service's Urban and Community Forestry Program. The US Forest Service insists that this funding supports local communities and the organizations that serve them as they work to increase tree cover in disadvantaged spaces and boost equitable access to nature.

"These investments arrive as cities across the country experience record-breaking heatwaves that have grave impacts on public health, energy consumption, and overall well-being," said Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. "Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, we are supporting communities in becoming more resilient to climate change and combatting extreme heat with the cooling effects of increased urban tree canopy, while also supporting employment opportunities and professional training that will strengthen local economies."

Projects in Oregon:

• Urban and Community Forest Health and Biodiversity for Long-term Resilience -City of Hermiston -$1,000,000
• Riparian Forest Rescue! Save our unique urban forest from the invasive ash borer -City of Hillsboro -$340,835
• Pendleton Urban Forestry Program -City of Pendleton Parks & Recreation -$2,000,000
• Building a More Resilient and Equitable Tree Canopy in Salem, Oregon -City of Salem -$1,000,000
• Portland/Vancouver Canopy Collective -ELSO Inc -$7,000,000
• Engaging low-canopy neighborhoods in community tree planting -Friends of Trees -$12,000,000
• Northwest Youth Corps NW Community Forestry Project -Northwest Youth Corps -$12,000,000
• Growing Equity in Oregon's Urban and Community Forests: Investing in Disadvantaged Communities -Oregon Department of Forestry -$22,857,196

Total spending in Oregon: $58,198,031

"These investments will not only contribute to the planting and maintenance of trees in disadvantaged urban communities, but they also assist with tackling the climate crisis and supporting jobs and workforce development,” said Chad Davis, Regional Director for State, Private and Tribal Forestry for the Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest and Alaska Regions. “This funding will help create more vibrant and healthy urban communities across the Pacific Northwest and the entire country.”

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

The Urban and Community Forestry Program supports the Justice40 Initiative, which intends to ensure that 40% of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and lack access to trees and nature.

The US Forest Service says that all grant funding will flow to disadvantaged communities thanks to the applicant tool, which used the White House Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST) to identify eligible communities. CEJST is a geospatial mapping tool that identifies communities faced with significant burdens, such as climate change, energy, health, housing, legacy pollution, transportation, water and wastewater, and workforce development.

The Forest Service says it supports vibrant and healthy urban communities through supporting healthy urban forests. More information about the funded proposals, as well as announcements about the grant program, is available on the Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program website.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2023-09-24 11:58:26

Last Update: 2023-09-25 11:41:47