Wishing you had more trees? Delaware just received this funding for tree planting projects
If you wish there were more trees in Delaware, but need a little help with the cost of planting them, the First State has money on the way.
Delaware is taking applications for tree-planting projects. They will handle funding requests from municipalities, state agencies and non-governmental organizations for between $20,000 and $30,000, the state announced Wednesday.
Where is the funding coming from?
Funding is coming through the state’s “Tree for Every Delawarean Initiative." The initiative, which was announced in 2020 by Gov. John Carney, has two aims: to plant one tree for every Delawarean and to combat climate change and support local communities’ enhancement of urban greenspaces.
In addition to helping the environment, planting more trees can benefit underserved communities in Delaware, said Vikram Krishnamurthy, executive director at Wilmington's Delaware Center for Horticulture. The center has a post-release program in public landscaping, which involves job training for individuals who are formerly incarcerated.
"Rising temperatures have a disproportionate impact on urban populations and communities of color due to an abundance of surfaces that retain and reflect heat," Krishnamurthy said. "We’re looking forward to the combined effort from all organizations awarded TEDI funds to add more trees to our Delaware communities."
This is the first year municipalities are eligible to apply for funding. Applications for tree planting can be downloaded and are due on Monday, Oct. 23, by 4 p.m., according to the state.
Residents can join this initiative by planting trees at their homes or businesses and adding them to the TEDI tracker at de.gov/tedi.
Why is this funding important?
Trees have an important role in protecting the environment by improving air and water quality, preserving soil and supporting wildlife. Since 2021, Delaware has planted about 80,000 trees as part of TEDI funds. In total, the program is working toward a goal of planting 1 million trees, according to the state.
“Most people understand that trees provide shade and improve air quality, but these impacts don’t benefit all communities in the same way,” Krishnamurthy said. "This funding will allow us to continue to expand the tree cover in underserved communities and increase tree equity."
For more information about this funding or to track the state's progress in reaching its TEDI goal, visit delaware.gov.
More: Planting a forest: Delaware volunteers set out 2,700 trees to study how they grow best
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Contact local reporter Cameron Goodnight at cgoodnight@delawareonline.com, or by calling or texting 302-324-2208. Follow him on Twitter at @CamGoodnight.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware tree planting initiative offers funding to towns, groups
