Five communities and organizations have received grants from the Arkansas Department of Agriculture for urban and community tree projects.
The department announced that it had awarded five Urban & Community Forestry Grants that are designed to develop and promote urban and community trees and forests. The five recipients include the City of Conway Tree Board, the City of Pine Bluff, the City of Trumann, the Crooked Creek Conservation District and UALR Public Radio.
“The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is pleased to award these grants that will help communities across the state improve urban and community trees and forest,” Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward said in a statement. “urban and community trees and forests provide many environmental benefits including improving air quality, energy conservation and reducing soil and water erosion.”
The City of Conway Tree Board is using its grant for the Dave Ward Interstate Beautification Project. The cities of Pine Bluff and Trumann are using the grants for the Green Spaces, Green Streets Program and the Cedar Park/Highway 463 North Tree Planting Project, respectively. Crooked Creek Conservation District is using its grant for the Streambed & Park Improvement Project. UALR Public Radio is utilizing its grant for the Urban & Community Forestry Awareness Radio Campaign.
The Agriculture Department determined the grant recipients based on improvements to a community’s tree management program, implementation plan for the project, level of community involvement, educational aspects and tree care.
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