Fairbury, Neb. 10/1/24 – The City of Fairbury was recently awarded a 25,000 Community Forestry Infrastructure grant from the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum (NSA). The grant was part of $10 million in grant funds awarded to NSA in 2024 by the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry program as part of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
The goal of the grant program is to improve Nebraska’s community forestry infrastructure in disadvantaged communities by supporting tree removal, care and planting to preserve tree canopy cover; protecting, enhancing and increasing access to watersheds in urban and development areas by focusing on conserving and managing community forests and green stormwater infrastructure; and improving workforce development in the tree care industry by providing pathways for high school students, creating job training programs and connecting newly trained professionals with local tree care companies.
The City of Fairbury will use the grant funds to remove and replace dead trees and brush in the City and McNish Parks, to establish new understory growth and to assist with public outreach tree education.
“We are so pleased to be able to award this IRA grant to the City of Fairbury, which will profoundly impact the well-being of residents in Fairbury,” said Nebraska Statewide Arboretum Executive Director Hanna Pinneo. “This significant investment will yield important, long-term results. We are proud to partner with the City of Fairbury to support a greener future.”
For more information about NSA’s Community Forestry Infrastructure grants, including eligibility requirements and information about the grant application process, visit plantnebraska.org/ucf-grants.