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IU Environmental Resilience Institute awarded $5 million to expand urban tree canopy

By Joanie Dugan

Posted September 22, 2023

Example of a typical urban tree canopy, taken in Sacramento, Calif. (Wikimedia Commons)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded a $5 million grant to Indiana University’s Environmental Resilience institute. The grant allows the institute to help disadvantaged communities expand their tree canopies in response to climate change.

The program will plant and maintain 2,500 trees over five years in underserved communities within the state to enhance their urban green infrastructure. The goal is to create comfortable spaces within those communities.

“Because trees will provide shade, because they will take up pollutants, they will provide spaces for people to be outdoors in more comfortable environments, despite increasing temperatures due to climate change,” said Sarah Mincey, the Managing Director for the Environmental Resilience Institute at Indiana University.

According to the ERI, research has shown tree canopy cover can reduce public health risks posed by extreme heat. Trees also intercept stormwater, which relieves some of the burden on storm drains during periods of heavy rain.

Mincey said the goal is to have 25 cities and towns participate in the program. Each participating community will receive an urban tree canopy cover assessment in addition to staff support from McKinney climate fellows.

“So, communities are really getting a big benefit here in terms of new data, new trees in the ground, and lots of tree care, all engaging the community, and all at no cost to the cities and towns that are participating,” Mincey said.

It is a historic time for urban forestry. The Inflation Reduction Act distributed $1.5 billion across the nation to implement urban forestry programs as a solution for climate change.

“Trees are the hardest working infrastructure in cities. And particularly when we think about climate change, and being resilient to the changes that we know we're going to face,” Mincey said.

According to the USDA, urban forests produce $18 billion in benefits each year, including removing air pollution, carbon storage and reduced energy use.