USDA Announces $1 Billion in Competitive Grants to Plant and Maintain Trees in Urban and Suburban Areas

US Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced (9-14-23) that the US Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service is awarding more than $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 85% of Americans live, work, and play.

Communities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and several US Territories and Tribal Nations are receiving funding, covered by the Justice40 Initiative and made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act.

The Forest Service selected 385 grant proposals from entities working to increase equitable access to trees and nature, and the benefits they provide for cooling city streets, improving air quality, and promoting food security, public health, and safety.

The Urban and Community Forestry Program is the only program in the federal government dedicated to enhancing and expanding the nation’s urban forest resources. This is the largest single USDA Inflation Reduction Act investment to date in urban and community forests.