More trees are coming to Jackson neighborhoods thanks to a grant from the federal government. The City of Jackson is receiving a $757,275 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that will be used to reforest the City’s parkways over the next five years.
The grant from the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program will be matched with local funds to restore trees in parkways, the green space located between streets and sidewalks. City staff will first work with arborists to develop a digital inventory of Jackson’s current stock of street trees, identifying the size, condition, location and species of each tree.
Once all of the data is gathered, it will be used by staff to make decisions about where new trees should be planted, along with which trees and stumps need to be removed. The information will also help crews identify trees that need trimming, along with where utility lines are located.
City Manager Jonathan Greene says the funding is a big boost to the City’s forestry program. “Our neighborhoods have lost countless trees in recent years due to storms, old age, and disease,” Greene said. “Having more trees along streets will improve the look of our neighborhoods, along with helping the environment. We are thankful for this federal funding and excited to start the reforestation program.”
The program will collect tree data from all over the City and bring tree improvements to every neighborhood. The data collection phase is set to last one year, with tree implementation taking place the following three years.