Title
Resolution to Accept and Appropriate Inflation Reduction Act Grant Funds from the USDA Forest Service as a Subaward through American Forests for City Tree Canopy Projects ($1,000,000.00) (8 Votes Required)
Memorandum
Attached for your review and consideration is a resolution to authorize acceptance of grant funding from the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service for implementation of several projects aimed at understanding, enhancing, and expanding Ann Arbor's tree canopy.
The City of Ann Arbor is looking to take a holistic view on management of its urban tree canopy. This project expands and diversifies critical elements of the City's strategic conservation and sustainability work across its community and urban forests. Three initiatives are staged to: (1) update City-wide urban tree canopy data to help drive need-focused tree planting, and explore future tree sources and agricultural education, (2) expand private tree planting programs and provide tools for homeowners to deeply engage with tree planting and care, and (3) provide targeted ecological stewardship in park natural areas within disadvantaged communities.
There are five components to the project:
1. An urban tree canopy (UTC) analysis update.
2. Purchasing the Arbor Day Foundation's Community Canopy tree planting tool.
3. Targeted and equity-focused private property tree planting.
4. Targeted ecological stewardship in parks within disadvantaged communities.
5. Feasibility study for a City/County-owned and operated tree nursery and agricultural demonstration site.
All five components play a critical role in the development, care, and management of the City's urban forest.
There is no match requirement for this grant.
Budget/Fiscal Impact: Grant funds will be used toward implementation of the five project components: (1) urban tree canopy analysis, (2) purchasing the Arbor Day Foundation's Community Canopy tree planting tool, (3) equity-focused private property tree planting,...
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