City of Rome Receives Urban Forestry Grant
On Friday, August 15, 2008 the City of Rome will kick off an urban forestry project. The City will receive $20,000 in cost-share funding through the Georgia Forestry Commission’s (GFC) Urban & Community Forestry Grant Program. The purpose of the project is to develop a Community Tree Master Plan. A grant-signing will be held Friday at 10:00 a.m. in the Rome City Commission Chambers in City Hall.
Designated by the Farm Bill in 1990, the objective of the funding is to enhance Georgia’s community forests and build awareness of their importance and impact statewide. In total, $310,212 in funding was awarded to 30 projects in Georgia.
“The great thing about having a Community Tree Master Plan is involvement,” stated Terry Paige, the city’s Municipal Arborist. “Everyone from government leadership to the citizens of our community will be a part of this plan and this will get us where we need to be as we prepare for generations to come. The implementation of a Master Plan is also the last step in the process of becoming an accredited city in the Society of Municipal Arborists.”
“The Georgia Forestry Commission is pleased to provide funding for capacity-building programs such as this one that help increase tree cover,” GFC Director Robert Farris said. “We are proud to kick off this project in partnership with our congressional and state legislative leadership.”
A variety of forestry-related literature is available to the public at Georgia Forestry Commission offices state-wide. Further information about urban forestry grants and a statewide list of grants is available on the Georgia Forestry Commission Web site at www.gatrees.org.
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