Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
09/05/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/05/2024 13:08
DEEP Conducting Community Engagement to Promote Nearly $3M in Funding for Increased Urban Tree Cover
Press Releases
09/05/2024
DEEP Conducting Community Engagement to Promote Nearly $3M in Funding for Increased Urban Tree Cover
In Partnership with University of Connecticut, DEEP's Urban Forestry Program Will Host Stakeholder and Community Workshops in Several CT Cities Starting Sept. 5th
(HARTFORD)- The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today that starting this week, in partnership with UConn, DEEP is hosting a series of community and stakeholder workshops through November intended to increase access to historic funding opportunities for urban forestry.
Through support from the Inflation Reduction Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and State Urban Forest Resilience Grant, nearly $3 million is available through 2028 to support urban and community forestry projects. Government entities and non-profit organizations are eligible to apply, individual awards are for up to $200,000. You can find more information here: Urban Forestry Grant Opportunities (ct.gov).
As Connecticut experiences record-breaking heat and rainfall, trees are one tool that communities can leverage to reduce the negative effects of elevated temperatures and increased rainfall. DEEP is seeking to ensure equitable access to urban forestry funding through a series of stakeholder and community workshops in communities with some of the lowest tree canopy cover in our state that have historically had limited engagement with urban and community forestry grants and programs. These communities include Danbury, New Britain, New London, Waterbury, and Willimantic. Stakeholder and community workshops also will take place in Hartford, which has low canopy cover despite accessing urban and community forestry grants in the past.
"DEEP is committed to increasing urban tree canopy cover in our most vulnerable communities," DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said. "Urban forestry is an important part of our portfolio of nature-based solutions to climate mitigation and adaptation, and recent unprecedented increases in federal funding for urban forestry have created a unique opportunity for the DEEP Forestry Division to assist urban communities in increasing canopy cover."
Trees are a key form of infrastructure in urban areas and provide benefits that include improved air quality, heat mitigation, carbon storage, stormwater absorption, and wildlife habitat. However, some communities in our state lack equitable access to tree canopy and the benefits that it can provide. An historic amount of federal funding is available to rectify canopy inequities, and DEEP's goal is to ensure all communities that qualify for funding have the capacity to access, apply to, and manage grant funding.
Stakeholder workshops are open to any organization working in the Danbury, New Britain, New London, Waterbury, Willimantic, and Hartford communities. Workshops will include:
- Networking opportunities
- Presentation of local environmental data
- Introduction to urban forestry programs and grant opportunities
- Overview of resources available to assist with grant writing and management
In addition to formal presentations, workshops also will include breakout sessions with program staff to facilitate the co-creation of projects and programs that leverage trees to address local challenges while improving access to technical and financial resources within DEEP's Urban and Community Forestry Program.
Virtual workshops for community-based organizations will take place in September and October. In-person community workshops for residents in these communities also will be hosted in partnership with local community-based organizations in October and November.
The first virtual workshops are this week, on Thursday, September 5, for New Britain, and Friday, September 6, for New London, each from 10:00 a.m to 12:00 p.m. Registration and more information can be found here: https://lu.ma/calendar/cal-85IZAWhT3hW8cog. A flyer that can be shared with local stakeholders is available here: https://s.uconn.edu/forest-equity-flyer-ct.
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DEEP Communications
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