The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Division of Forestry has awarded $1.5 million in grants to nine communities to support tree planting and maintenance, workforce development, education, and tree inventory projects.

The projects were selected by the DNR’s Community and Urban Forestry (CUF) program and are funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service Urban & Community Forestry program.

“Forests aren’t just isolated to big swaths of lands or rural areas,” said Jacob Roos, urban forestry director for DNR. “Indiana’s cities and towns are home to urban tree canopies that provide us all with clean air, better drainage, wildlife habitats, and an elevated quality of life. I look forward to witnessing the positive impact this grant creates for each of these communities.”

Communities and organizations receiving the USDA funds, which are set aside for underserved or disadvantaged areas, include –

• Canopy Bloomington, $239,399 for education and maintenance.
• City of Jeffersonville, $63,500 for inventory and planting.
• City of New Albany, $250,000 for tree planting and education.
• City of Noblesville, $106,150 for tree planting.
• Regreening Greenfield, $50,000 for tree planting.
• Evansville Forest Alliance, $249,616 for inventory, planting, and education.
• Indiana Arborist Association, $250,000 for workforce development.
• Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, $239,457 for workforce development.
• TREES, Inc., $75,000 for tree planting.

There are two projects based around workforce development. One is an arborist apprenticeship program that will train at least 15 individuals from underserved northwest Indiana communities for a career in urban forestry. The second will work with students to develop their urban forestry skills by maintaining and caring for more than 6,000 trees throughout Indianapolis.

To learn more about the DNR Division of Forestry’s CUF program, see on.IN.gov/forestry under Community & Public Help, call 317-234-6741, or email urbanforestry@dnr.IN.gov.

To view more DNR news releases, please see dnr.IN.gov.