Tree Planting Grants Available in Connection with ReTree Week

East Campus pillars at enterance

Sept. 3, 2013

LINCOLN, Neb. — Free trees for fall planting are available to Nebraska communities in time to celebrate ReTree Week, Sept. 22-28. "Free Trees for Fall Planting" is sponsored by the Nebraska Community Forestry Council and ReTree Nebraska and funded by the Nebraska Environmental Trust, a beneficiary of the Nebraska Lottery.

The grant helps enable communities to plant trees during the fall in conjunction with ReTree Nebraska Week and other fall planting events. Even though communities are encouraged to take part in ReTree Nebraska Week plantings, trees can be planted from Sept. 1 through Nov. 15. The recipient's event will be considered a ReTree Nebraska event when held during this time frame. Deadline for application is Oct. 31.

This fall planting campaign helps promote the value of healthy trees for a healthy community and the healthy establishment and ongoing care of newly planted trees. The goal is to plant at least 700 high-quality trees in Nebraska communities in conjunction with a tree-related educational event or community celebration to promote fall planting. Organizations and communities can participate in ReTree Week without planting trees. Informational materials such as articles, library displays and ReTree Week graphics are available on request.

Tree advocates are given priority and awarded with 1-10 trees. Advocates include ReTree Nebraska ambassadors, Tree City USA tree boards, Tree Campus USA schools, Nebraska Statewide Arboretum curators, individuals volunteering or supporting community forestry programs and Project Learning Tree facilitators.

Providing free trees gives volunteers and non-profit partners such as business improvement districts, neighborhood associations, government agencies and other public or private entities the added resources to plant trees in public spaces and areas of civic importance. Focus is also on diversifying the community forest by promoting a broader mix of native and well-adapted non-native tree species recommended by ReTree Nebraska. A special emphasis will be placed on the planting of ReTree Nebraska's 13 for 2013 underused trees species (http://retreenebraska.unl.edu/planting-diversity).

Grant applications available at: http://retreenebraska.unl.edu/retree-week-september-22-28-2013 Trees for Nebraska Towns is funded by the Nebraska Environmental Trust (a beneficiary of the Nebraska Lottery) as part of the ReTree Nebraska Initiative. The program is coordinated by the Nebraska Forest Service on behalf of the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum, Inc.

Jessica Kelling
ReTree Coordinator
Nebraska Forest Service
402-472-0220
jkelling2@unl.edu

Susan Helmink
Communications Specialist
Nebraska Forest Service
402-472-9869
shelmink3@unl.edu

Dan Moser
IANR News Service
402-472-3030
dmoser3@unl.edu


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