BLOOMINGTON – CanopyBloomington, the urban forest organization with a mission to sustain and improve the community’s urban forest, has received a $239,399 grant for education and tree maintenance programs focused on addressing equity issues through tree cover and community engagement.
Ava Hartman, the non-profit’s forestry and administrative director, said the funding would allow CanopyBloomington to expand its efforts to increase the positive impacts of thriving urban forests on socio-economics, the environment, and public health.
“We know that in the past 25 years, Bloomington’s forest canopy had declined by 54%. That’s over 8,000 acres of trees,” Hartman said. “With this funding, CanopyBloomington will be able to build on its community of volunteers, increase education and tree planting efforts, and grow efforts like our Youth Tree Tenders program.”
The organization has planted trees in residential neighborhoods, churches, and schools, offers tree planting and care classes, and works with neighborhoods and communities to develop sustainable urban forest care and maintenance plans.
CanopyBloomington was one of nine organizations and cities selected by the Indiana Department of
Natural Resources Community & Urban Forestry Department will receive grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Service Urban & Community Forestry Program through the Inflation Reduction Act. The state was awarded $1.5 million through the program.
To learn more about CanopyBloomington or become part of its effort to positively impact Bloomington’s urban forest, write to hello@canopybloomignton.org, visit canopybloomington.org, or through your favorite social media.
CanopyBloomington is a social impact organization in Bloomington, Indiana, whose mission is to grow
and sustainably manage Bloomington’s urban forest for the many environmental, health, economic, and
social benefits of trees with a focus on tree equity and community engagement.
