Congresswoman Kaptur and Secretary Vilsack Announce $6 Million USDA Urban Forestry Award for RE-TREE Toledo
Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Kaptur and Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the award of $6,098,294 for Toledo’s Restoring and Enhancing Tree Canopy for Resilience, Equity, and Engagement (RE-TREE Toledo). With approximately 17% canopy citywide, Toledo falls short of the target of 35-40% (the threshold for the greatest marginal cooling, and appropriate for the climate). This grant will increase tree cover in urban disadvantaged communities in Toledo, Ohio, where lack of canopy increases vulnerability to the health and environmental impacts of extreme heat. It will increase equity of access to natural spaces and combat the impact of disease and invasive pests on Toledo’s existing trees.
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 funding was granted to entities in all 50 states, two U.S. territories, three U.S. affiliated Pacific islands, and several Tribes through the Forest Service's Urban and Community Forestry Program.
“Today a legacy of disinvestment has left many areas of Toledo with high poverty rates and hardened landscapes. Our children are our future, and planting these trees will breathe new life into Toledo, and our communities for generations to come,” said Congresswoman Kaptur. “I was proud to fight for this federal funding, and I look forward to working with President Biden, Secretary Vilsack, and Mayor Kapszukiewicz to implement this program quickly. I will be the first in line to plant as many trees as possible in Toledo and across NW Ohio as I have done for decades. I am thrilled at the participation of Toledo Public Schools in the workforce development implementation of the grant, as it is imperative that the next generation recognize and understand the importance of trees and their nurture. Green spaces inspire and restore our spirit, and contribute to the health of our community. Here’s to a better, greener Toledo thanks to this federal investment in America that will help transform the landscape of our city.”
“This award is a testament to Toledo’s commitment to fostering a greener, more equitable future for our city,” said Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz. “The planting of 10,000 new trees will make a substantial environmental impact, but it also shows Toledoans that we’re committed to making big investments where big investments are long overdue. The trees represent growth for our community and our promise to make Toledo better for generations to come.”
“These investments arrive as cities across the country experience record-breaking heatwaves that have grave impacts on public health, energy consumption, and overall well-being,” said Secretary Vilsack. “Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, we are supporting communities in becoming more resilient to climate change and combatting extreme heat with the cooling effects of increased urban tree canopy, while also supporting employment opportunities and professional training that will strengthen local economies.”
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.
“Today’s landmark funding from the U.S. Forest Service will increase urban access to nature, improve air quality, keep city streets cool during sweltering summers, tackle the climate crisis, and create safer, healthier communities in every corner of America,” said John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the President for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation. “That makes a huge difference for the grandmother who doesn’t have air conditioning, or the kid who has asthma, or the parent who works outside for ten hours a day. This investment will create not just greener cities—it will create healthier and more equitable cities.”
“President Biden set a bold goal to cut in half the number of people that do not have access to parks and nature by the end of the decade,” said Brenda Mallory, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. “This funding will expand access to green space in underserved communities nationwide, advancing the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to environmental justice and our Justice40 Initiative.”
This announcement is part of President Biden's Investing in America agenda to advance environmental justice, generate economic opportunity, and build a clean energy economy nationwide. The grants are made possible by investments from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the largest climate investment in history and a core pillar of Bidenomics. The Urban and Community Forestry Program is part of President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which works to ensure the overall benefits of certain federal investments reach disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and overburdened by pollution and underinvestment.
More information about the funded proposals, as well as announcements about the grant program, is available on the Urban and Community Forestry Program website here.
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