Grants Available For Communities to Develop Tree Planting Projects

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Annapolis, MD  — The Maryland Urban and Community Forest Committee (MUCFC), in partnership with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Forest Service, is accepting grant requests from schools, parks, cities and towns, homeowner associations, and other groups planning environmental tree planting and care projects for the fall. Funding up to $1,500 will be awarded for projects conducted on public property.

“This is a tremendous program for local municipalities and grass roots organizations,” said Governor Martin O’Malley. “As we continue to work towards our goal of 1 million new trees planted in Maryland by 2011, I encourage communities to seize this opportunity to do their part in increasing our tree cover and contribute to a future for our natural resources that is smart, green and growing.”

Applications must be signed by a local Forestry Board member and received prior to the June 15th and September 15th grant period deadlines. Interested applicants may download the grant application directly at www.dnr.maryland.gov/forests/programs/urban/grantapp.pdf. For more information, contact your local forester at www.dnr.maryland.gov/forests/art/county_map.asp or Wanda MacLachlan at 410-531-5973 or wtm@umd.edu.

In partnership with the Forest Service, the MUCFC and the 24 Forestry Boards strive to promote appreciation and concern for forests and trees. Board members support the concept of wise conservation, management and use of trees and forests in Maryland. The boards, one in each of Maryland’s 23 counties and Baltimore City, together function as the State Association of Forest Conservancy District Boards. Forestry Boards provide leadership for improvement of the environment in urban, suburban and rural areas, and educate people about the variety of benefits trees and forests provide.‘

“When we involve citizens in the planting and caring for trees, we instill in them a sense of responsibility and stewardship for Maryland’s natural resources,” said Steven W. Koehn, State Forester and DNR Forest Service Director.

Through Governor O’Malley’s Marylanders Plant Trees program, the State is partnering with businesses, communities and citizens to help fund and plant new tree cover. Private citizens are being asked to plant 50,000 new trees by the year 2010. To encourage citizen participation, the State is offering $25 discount coupons for the purchase of native trees costing $50 or more. Whether taking advantage of the coupon program or not, citizens who plant new trees are asked to use the State’s new website, www.trees.maryland.gov – which offers valuable planting advice -- to register the trees they’ve planted and calculate their benefits.

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May 19, 2009

Contact: Josh Davidsburg 410-260-8002 jdavidsburg@dnr.state.md.us

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 449,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 12 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov