| The Colorado State Forest Service announced awards for the first round of funding for the Colorado Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Urban and Community Forestry (UCF) grant program. The CSFS created the new grant program with IRA funding from the U.S. Forest Service, and the money will be used to improve the tree canopy in communities in disadvantaged areas across Colorado. In total, the CSFS will award $1.6 million for 11 projects in 8 counties across Colorado.
“This infusion of funding for urban forestry into some of our most vulnerable communities is overdue,” said Matt McCombs, state forester and director of the CSFS. “This is a historic investment in trees and one that will transform the canopy in these communities. Healthy trees and a flourishing urban canopy will improve the lives of Coloradans by providing more shade, cleaner air, and more beautiful places to work, live and play.”
The funded projects include a variety of activities that will improve Colorado’s urban forests:
- Planting hundreds of trees
- City tree inventories
- Community outreach events
- Removal of hazard trees and storm-damaged trees
- Hiring arborists, interns and tree stewards
“I’m excited to work closely with these communities as they make long-lasting investments to their urban trees,” said Cori Carpenter, tree equity specialist at the CSFS. “Many of these towns don’t have dedicated forestry staff, so this funding source is really the only way they can make much-needed improvements to their community’s tree canopy.”
For the first round of Colorado IRA UCF grants, the CSFS received 23 eligible applications requesting more than $4.7 million. Since $1.6 million was available for this round of grants, 12 projects totaling more than $3 million could not be funded. Another $1 million will be available through the grant program each year in 2025 and 2026.
These counties received Colorado IRA UCF funds during this funding cycle: Adams, Alamosa, Boulder, Chaffee, Las Animas, Mesa, Sedgwick and Yuma. Review a full list of awardees.
The CSFS will announce the next round of funding assistance through the Colorado IRA UCF grant program in spring 2025. Learn more about the Colorado IRA UCF grant program. |
