Saint Paul Urban & Community Forestry Project
Funding made available through the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)
In 2023, the USDA invested $1 billion in competitive grants to plant and maintain trees, combat extreme heat and climate change, and improve access to nature in cities, towns, and suburbs where more than 84% of Americans live, work, and play. Communities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and several U.S. Territories and Tribal Nations including Saint Paul are receiving funding.
The Department of Parks & Recreation has been awarded $2M to support urban and community forestry programs over the next 5 years within federally identified disadvantaged communities. With this funding, Saint Paul Parks and Recreation will partner with a contractor to provide a multi-year job training program including youth employment readiness and paid work experience focusing on tree planting and ongoing maintenance. This work will include the planting of nearly 2,000 young trees in city parks and on boulevards.
Additionally, 100 acres of woodlands within six city parks with be enhanced with reforestation efforts focusing on the installation of plant community species to improve canopy diversity and resiliency. Site specific management plans and natural resources inventories will be updated or created for four of the six woodlands.
Check back for updates as our program develops!