COLUMBUS, OH -- Ohio communities can receive as much as $15,000 this year for local tree planting projects as part of Governor Bob Taft's Bicentennial Legacy Tree Planting Program. Applications are available through May 5 for approximately $300,000 in Urban Forestry Grants for tree planting efforts along public rights-of-way, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).
The Bicentennial Legacy Tree Planting Program is aimed at planting two million trees, one for each of Ohio's school children, to celebrate this yearÂ’s 200th anniversary of Ohio statehood.
Administered by ODNR Division of Forestry, the grants are funded by a percentage of air pollution fines collected by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis, with communities providing a 50 percent match in local funds.
To date, nearly 90 communities have received more than $1,000,000 in funding.
Through Ohio's Bicentennial Legacy Tree Planting Program, trees have been planted along roadways, on abandoned surface-mined lands and on state wildlife areas.
Grant applications and guidelines can be obtained by calling the ODNR Division of Forestry at 614-265-6707 or at the ODNR web site at ohiodnr.com
-30-
For additional news online, check out the ODNR Press Room at Ohiodnr.com
For Further Information Contact:
Drew Todd, ODNR Division of Forestry
(614) 265-6707
-or-
Andy Ware, ODNR Media Relations
(614) 265-6882