Bolingbrook Park District has been awarded a $10,700 subgrant by The Morton Arboretum’s Chicago Region Trees Initiative (CRTI) to improve its community tree canopy. The competitive subgrant is among 22 provided to government entities in communities that meet federal guidelines as disadvantaged areas through federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, under the direction of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
“Through this subgrant, we will be able expand our current Urban Forestry Management Plan which will include removing dead trees and planting new trees,” stated Dan Finn, Natural Resources, Horticulture & Turf Manager.
All grant-funded projects must also complete the development or enhancement of a tree protection ordinance or policy that sets standards of care for newly planted trees and helps to ensure the tree canopy is maintained and protected long after the grant ends. From helping to mitigate flooding to reducing urban heat islands, community forest projects like this make neighborhoods greener and have many important benefits.
