Healthy Tree Canopy grants awarded in 2020
In September 2020, the county awarded 20 Healthy Tree Canopy grants totaling $378,980. The grants will help combat threats to trees from invasive insects and diseases, promote the development of a more diverse, resilient, and equitable tree canopy, and support efforts to educate the public on tree care and the importance of trees.
Increasing the benefits that trees provide
More than 1,000 trees will be planted through the grant projects, increasing the benefits that trees provide throughout the county. Trees improve air quality by absorbing fine particulate matter and other pollutants, and they slow down stormwater runoff. Trees also provide shade, reduce the urban heat island effect, reduce stress, and increase property values.
Prioritizing grants that help address disparities
The tree grants will improve livability by planting trees in neighborhoods throughout the county experiencing disproportionate amounts of economic, environmental, and health disparities. Grants were selected in part using the county’s tree planting prioritization map, which factors in both environmental and demographic data to identify areas that have lower tree canopy and higher need.
Eight of the twelve grants awarded affordable housing providers, nonprofit organizations, and schools are in high priority areas. Six of the eight cities recommended for grants are entirely within moderate and high priority planting areas or contain canopy deficient areas.
Grants awarded to cities
Grants to cities fund tree inventories, help mitigate the effects of tree pests and pathogens, increase the capacity of city forestry programs, educate residents on the benefits of trees and engage them in tree planting efforts, and improve livability by planting trees in neighborhoods that face economic, environmental, and health disparities.
Brooklyn Park
$50,000 to complete tree planting plans in 30 parks and host four community tree planting events in parks.
Champlin
$18,694 to establish a gravel bed nursery and plant 30 trees, and treat high-quality ash trees along various greenway parkways.
Eden Prairie
$50,000 to remove large ash trees, treat high quality ash trees, and plant 325 trees in parks and rights-of-way with a focus on increasing species diversity.
Edina
$47,976 to inventory all trees in 45 parks and open spaces.
Minnetonka Beach
$37,483 to inventory trees in additional public spaces, develop a tree management program, continue ash tree removal and treatment of high-quality ash trees, and plant replacement trees of a variety of species.
Orono
$5,000 to inventory trees within the city's rights-of-way.
St. Anthony Village
$5,000 to inventory trees in all public spaces including rights-of-way, public spaces, and city-owned properties.
Tonka Bay
$20,000 to remove hazardous ash trees and replace them with new, diverse tree species.
Grants awarded to affordable housing providers
Grants to affordable housing providers promote a more diverse, resilient, and equitable tree canopy by removing and replacing ash trees and planting new trees.
Aeon
$19,533 to remove and replace 17 ash trees and treat an additional 30 ash trees at Huntington Place Apartments in Brooklyn Park.
$20,000 to plant 169 trees at SoLo Apartments in Bloomington.
Amorce I Limited Partnership
$20,000 to remove 16 ash trees at Brooks Landing Apartments and Brooks Garden Apartments in Brooklyn Park and replace them with 26 diverse new trees.
Autumn Ridge Apartments
$20,000 to remove 16 ash trees at Autumn Ridge Apartments in Brooklyn Park and replace them with a more sustainable tree canopy.
City of Edina
$13,160 to remove four ash trees on a future affordable housing site and plant 20 trees after construction of the building.
Grants awarded to nonprofit organizations and schools
Grants to nonprofit organizations and schools are used to engage communities in planting trees, remove and replace ash trees, conduct tree-related education, complete tree inventories, and hold Arbor Day celebrations.
Brooklyn Center ISD 286
$3,480 to establish a fruit tree orchard at Earle Brown Elementary STEAM school, develop associated curriculum, and engage families.
Church of St. Helena in Minneapolis
$3,343 to remove two ash trees and replace them with new, diverse trees.
Together Bloomington
$9,255 to plant up to 40 trees on City of Bloomington properties with community members as part of a community led and designed project.
Faith United Methodist in St. Anthony Village
$6,388 to remove two ash trees and replant 16 trees throughout the property.
Project Sweetie Pie in Minneapolis
$10,000 to plant fruit trees on a vacant lot in north Minneapolis. The project will engage community members and youth with planning, outreach, education, planting, and maintenance.
Rockford High School
$9,946 to create an arboretum on school property. The project will involve planting 111 diverse trees and integrating tree-related education into the curriculum.
Success Academy in Bloomington
$9,722 to remove eight ash trees on school property and replace with more diverse tree species, develop associated curriculum, and engage families.