Santa Cruz will use $1 million in federal funding to plant trees all over city
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV)- The City of Santa Cruz received a $1 million grant from the U.S. Forest Service to increase equitable access to trees and the benefits they provide.
The city's proposal was one of 385 proposals from around the country selected for this grant.
The grant was provided by the Community Forestry Inflation Reduction Act Grant Program. City officials said that the funds will help the Parks and Recreation Department maintain and plant trees plus increase community engagement in urban forestry.
The grant will also help fund urban forestry work and improve educational resources.
"The City’s grant-funded efforts will focus on Santa Cruz’s federally designated opportunity zones, encompassing the neighborhoods of Beach Flats, Lower Ocean, and portions of downtown, Midtown, and Seabright," said Tony Elliot, City of Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation Director said in a statement.
In 2022, the Santa Cruz City Council adopted their Climate Action Plan 2030 which includes a climate restoration goal for the city to plant 3,000 new trees by 2030.
