More than $1 million in grants from the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act is going towards the protection of urban forests across Hawaiʻi.
The Kaulunani Urban and Community Forestry Program is administering the funding and currently seeking applications for local projects.
"We have $1.2 million to re-grant to community organizations, nonprofits and non-federal agencies to help grow the forest all around us," said Heather McMillen, the state's urban forester.
The term "urban forest" may sound like an oxymoron, McMillen said, but it can apply to any sort of green space that is accessible to the community.
"You might find examples on campuses, along streets with trees and our parks," McMillen said. Even trees in your yard can count.
Planting trees in developed environments can have a range of positive impacts. Trees reduce heat, absorb storm run-off, and can even act as firebreaks, McMillen said.
"When you have the right tree in the right place, these can help to slow fires," McMillen said.
Funding is available for more than just planting trees, and McMillen encourages the community to get creative.
Proposals on how to update an urban forestry management plan, ordinances, and policy work for tree care and outreach initiatives would all be welcome.
"We're really trying to reach new partners, folks that haven't really thought of themselves in this space before, doing this kind of work," McMillen said. "Trees are an important entry point for being able to improve community health and well-being more broadly."
The application for community forest projects opens on Sept. 15 and closes Oct. 15.
More information can be found on the Kaulunani Urban and Community Forestry Program's website.
