Gov. Evers, DNR announce 2025 Urban Forestry Program Grant Recipients

WOOD COUNTY – Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced the Urban Forestry (UF) Grant Program recipients for the 2025 grant year. In addition to helping fund projects consistent with state and national goals for increasing the urban forest canopy, reducing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere, and improving the quality of life and public health of communities, the UF Grant Program will help advance goals outlined in Gov. Evers’ Trillion Trees Pledge commitment, which includes planting 1 million trees in urban areas by the end of 2030.
Wood County grant recepients include $25,000 awarded to the city of Marshfield for ash tree removal and replacment and Port Edwards which received $24,781.71 to replant shade trees in the village and parks.
“Our state forests and green spaces are vital to lowering the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere, providing outdoor recreational opportunities and protection from the summer heat, preserving local wildlife habitats, and ultimately uplifting our statewide economy,” said Gov. Evers. “We are confident that with help from our state and federal partners, these Urban Forestry grants will help bolster Wisconsin’s forestry industry and protect our state’s ecosystems so that we leave our future generations with a better world than the one we inherited.”
Through the UF Grant Program, $630,000, which includes $70,000 in federal funding, will be awarded to 43 applicants, with awards ranging from $1,824 to $25,000 to support new, innovative projects to develop sustainable urban and community forestry programs. Two types of competitive grants were available for this application cycle, including regular and startup grants. Regular grants award up to $25,000 to support new, innovative projects to develop sustainable urban and community forestry programs. Startup grants are simplified grants that award up to $5,000 to communities that want to start or restart an urban forestry program.