Since its inception in 2000, Trees Columbus’ goal has been to protect and restore Columbus’ tree canopy, which has declined over time. But with little resources and funding, the nonprofit hasn’t been able to make the desired sizable shifts in the urban forest.
That is set to change — the organization received a $900,000 grant earlier this year that will allow Trees Columbus to plant 500 trees between now and 2028 in overburdened and under-served parks that haven’t experienced tree restoration and proper tree planting in over 60 years.
“We’ve done small plantings here and there and mainly volunteer-based, but we’ve never been able to do anything like this before,” Dorothy McDaniel, the executive director of Trees Columbus, said.
The grant was awarded in January and was the second-largest Trees Across Georgia grant from the Georgia Forestry Commission. The grant is funneled down from the Inflation Reduction Act, which provided $1.5 billion for state and private forestry conservation programs. In Georgia, $9.75 million was allocated.