FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 10, 2024
Texas A&M Forest
Service awards historic $15.4 million through forestry grant program
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Twenty-two
Texas cities, neighborhoods, non-profit organizations and schools received grant
funding through the Texas A&M Forest Service Community Forestry Grants
Program, totaling $15.4 million.
The grants will directly
fund recipients’ tree planting, maintenance and community forestry planning and
education efforts as part of their larger, unique urban forestry solution
campaigns. The program also places a key emphasis on increasing schoolyard tree
canopy coverage to 30% of a school’s campus to create accessible community
treescapes.
“We are overjoyed with the
number of communities receiving grants this year,” said Gretchen Riley, Texas
A&M Forest Service Forest Systems Department Head. “We received many
wonderful grant applications that meet several urban forestry needs. Beyond
applications, organizations and communities across the state expressed interest
in learning more about how to advance community forestry. These applications are
a testament to the demand for a program such as this.”
The goal of the Community
Forestry Grants program is to build healthier urban and community forests
throughout the state which are essential for the economic, environmental,
physical and mental well-being of all Texans. The strategy of these grants is
to spearhead local programs across the state in addressing nature-based
solutions to issues facing communities today.
“The impact that trees have
on our mental and physical health is astounding,” said Riley. “Coordinating
with schools across the state to focus efforts on increasing tree coverage at
schools will positively impact the mental and physical health of students as
well as provide them with hands-on forestry education and appreciation.”
The 2024 Community Forestry
Grants Program awarded grants for eight categories.
Awarded in the category of
climate resiliency was Ecology Action of Texas, Austin, $50,000.
Awarded in the category of
geospatial analysis was Texas Trees Foundation, Dallas, for a statewide
project, $550,000.
Awarded in the category of
human health equity and accessibility was city of Lewisville Parks and
Recreation Department, $50,000.
Awarded in the category of
municipal forester was city of Duncanville, $100,000.
Awarded in the category of
schoolyard forests was city of McAllen, $2,730,000; city of Pharr, $3,120,000;
Rio Grande International Study Center, Laredo, $3,120,000; and Texas Trees
Foundation, Dallas, for projects in Donna and Mercedes, $5,460,000.
Awarded in the category of
Tree City USA was city of Ennis Parks and Recreation, $10,000; city of
Lewisville Parks and Recreation Department, $10,000; and town of Flower Mound,
$10,000.
Awarded in the tree planting
category was Alief Super Neighborhood Council #25, Houston, $20,000; city of
Denton, $20,000; city of Kaufman, $16,200; city of Laredo Environmental
Services, $16,000; city of McAllen Parks and Recreation Department, $15,000; city
of North Richland Hills, $20,000; city of Socorro, $14,374; Eco El Paso, LLC,
El Paso, $20,000; and Lubbock Memorial Arboretum Foundation Inc, Lubbock, $20,000.
As a bonus award, due to previous unallocated
funding and the applicant’s unique landscape scale solution proposal, a project
partnership between Texas Tech University, city of Lubbock and Heart of Lubbock
Neighborhood Association, Lubbock, was awarded $50,000.
Grant recipients will
receive funding and begin their initiatives in June 2024.
The Texas A&M Forest
Service Community Forestry Grants program was established in 2022 to address
Texas communities’ needs for urban forestry investment. Previous recipients of
this grant include city of College Station and Bexar Branches Alliance, a San Antonio non-profit.
Funding for the grants
program is provided through federal and state funding and was significantly
increased from $100,000 in 2022 to $16.65 million in 2023, in part due to the
USDA Forest Service and the Inflation Reduction Act.
“These grants are critical
to communities and organizations throughout the state in continuing proactive
forestry practices,” said Al Davis, Texas A&M Forest Service Director. “By
investing in our communities today, we are ensuring healthy forests and
communities for all to benefit from.”
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Contacts:
Gretchen Riley, Texas
A&M Forest Service Forest Systems Department Head, (979) 458-6663, griley@tfs.tamu.edu
Kate Faris, Texas A&M
Forest Service Community Forestry Grants Specialist, (979) 458-6630, kate.faris@tfs.tamu.edu
Texas A&M Forest Service
Communications, (979) 458-6606, newsmedia@tfs.tamu.edu