River Network announces nearly $3.3 million to local organizations and Indigenous communities for tree planting and maintenance projects, increasing health and happiness nationwide.

River Network, a national nonprofit that grows and strengthens local water, justice, and river advocates across the United States is thrilled to subaward $3.3 million to 21 community-based organizations and Indigenous communities as part of the Rooting Resilience Program. This program is funded by the Urban & Community Forestry Program of the Forest Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Rooting Resilience saw incredible demand, with 166 applications submitted.

These dollars are going directly into communities to plant and maintain their tree cover, increase community members’ access to nature, and educate and empower youth and those entering the forestry workforce while also helping to mitigate the effects of climate change. Awardees are located in cities, suburbs, and rural areas across 19 states, Tribal lands, and US territories. This program is specifically designed to invest federal dollars to protect and support communities with low tree cover from extreme weather, to lower their flooding risk, and to address the harmful effects of pollution, all by planting trees: one of nature’s most beneficial gifts.

As a result of this funding, residents in selected communities can expect tree maintenance and planting in areas of need, creation of culturally and ecologically important food forests, programs that integrate Indigenous cultural knowledge with modern forestry and stewardship practices, educational and volunteer opportunities for community members to learn about and help grow their local tree canopy, and career training opportunities for youth, building the next generation of community stewards and forestry professionals.

“I’m thrilled we can support so many communities through this program. While many know River Network as a leader in the water sector, forestry is directly tied to our 35+ year history of water work. We know that trees provide important water filtration services, slow the flow of rainwater, and mitigate heat in cities and communities. Supporting these projects is an interconnected and exciting way to work towards healthy rivers, clean drinking water, and climate-resilient communities,” shared Stephanie Heidbreder, River Network’s Director of Urban and Community Forestry.

River Network has stewarded federal dollars for over 25 years, ensuring they flow directly to local communities that need them the most. We are honored to do so again through Rooting Resilience, giving local leaders the tools they need to improve their communities’ natural environment, local economies and quality of life for their residents, through the beauty, comfort, and joy that trees bring to people of all ages.

To learn more about how this program will benefit people and nature in communities across the US, including US territories, visit www.rivernetwork.org/rooting-resilience or contact Amy Boal, Vice President of Brand & Communications at River Network to be connected with staff for an interview.

Awardees

Blackstone Watershed Collaborative: Building Worcester’s Future Foresters: Youth Workforce Development in Urban Forestry (Massachusetts)

Butte Environmental Council: Trees PLEASE: Planting Literacy in Environmental Action and Stewardship Education (Tehama and Butte Counties, California)

Create áyA: Camp Kinážiŋ* – Engaging Indigenous Youth in Traditional Forestry and Stewardship Practices (Boulder and Denver Counties, Colorado)

* Kinážiŋ is Lakota for “return to where you were moved from.” This program will be open to Indigenous youth local to Boulder and Denver County and youth from the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho, Ute Mountain Ute and Southern Ute Tribes.

Duwamish Tribal Services: Urban Forest Education & Restoration at the Heron’s Nest: The Duwamish Tribe’s Land Back Project (Duwamish Tribal Lands in Seattle, Washington)

Ecology Action of Texas: Montopolis Community Forest Initiative (Austin, Texas)

Grassroots Impact Education Fund, Inc.: The Pathway to Green Equity Initiative (Orlando, Florida)

Green Interchange: Napier Green & Complete Street Project (Nashville and Davidson Counties, Tennessee)

Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians: Community Forest Restoration on the Kaibab Paiute Indian Reservation, AZ

Kauai Aloha Collective – Kanu I Ka Pono Inc: Kauai Native Tree Initiative: Cultivating Resilience in Culture, Community, and Climate (Island of Kauai, Hawaii)

Kingdom Pathways: Hoʻoulu Lāhui – Nurturing the Nation (Honolulu, Hawaii)

Muscogee (Creek) Nation Conservation Commission: Integrating Native Cultural Knowledge with Modern Forestry Practices within the Muscogee (Creek) Nation (Muscogee (Creek) Nation reservation headquarters in Okmulgee, Oklahoma)

One Truckee River (Truckee River Foundation DBA): Strengthening the Truckee River Urban Tree Workforce Program in Reno, Nevada

Protectores de Cuencas Inc.: Collaborative Urban Forestry to increase the tree canopy in Southern Puerto Rico

Providence Neighborhood Planting Program: Cross-Organizational Training and Education for Tree Equity in Providence, Rhode Island

Rock River Coalition: Beloit Area Neighborhood Forest Project (Beloit, Wisconsin)

South Pacific Academy: Fa’amalosi: Intergenerational Learning and Stewardship in support of Fruit Tree Plantings (Island of Tutuila and the Village of Tafuna, American Samoa)

Sovereign EarthWorks: Creating and Stewarding a Community-Led Urban Native Food Forest (Washington, District of Columbia)

Spokane Tribal Network: Tribal Food Sovereignty Connections (Spokane Tribal Reservation, Washington)

The Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation: Restoration and Healing at Wuda Ogwa: Site of the Bear River Massacre (Franklin County, Idaho)

The Perch: Increasing the Tree Canopy and Food Security along the Green Trail in Comer (Comer, Georgia)

Urban Neighborhood Initiatives: Springwells Pocket Forest Project (Detroit, Michigan)