Decatur Gets $750K USDA Urban Forestry Grant
September 27, 2023
DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) – Hundreds of trees will be planted throughout urban Decatur over the next several years, funded by a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The City of Decatur and Decatur Park District were awarded a $750,000 grant from the USDA for the “21st Century Decatur’s Urban Forests Project.”
The City and Park District jointly filed the grant application and were awarded the full amount requested.
The five-year project will invest $150,000 in urban forestry projects each year in Decatur.
The City and Park District plan on developing their own tree nurseries to continue urban forestry efforts beyond the five-year grant period. Richland Community College and Workforce Development Solutions will also help in developing training programs for future arborists.
Decatur has been designated a “Tree City USA” for 42 years.