Indiana communities put trees to work
Comet staff report

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Division of Forestry awarded 13 "Putting Trees to Work" grants totaling $100,000 to Hoosier cities, towns, and nonprofits.

The funds are part of a grant awarded to the IDNR Community and Urban Forestry (CUF) program by the USDA Forest Service Northeastern Area in 2007.

The City of Delphi received funding through the grant. The city will remove risk trees and plant replacements according to IDNR.

"These grant projects will enable cities and towns to implement a variety of urban forestry management activities that will result in healthier urban forests," Pam Louks, CUF coordinator said. "This is important because the urban forest cleans the air we breathe and the water we drink."

IDNR received 31 grant requests totaling over $256,000 but only had $100,000 to award this year.

"All the projects were worthy, but, only a few made the cut," Louks added.

Projects are scheduled for begin in spring 2008. For more information on urban forestry, contact Louks at (317) 915-9390 or plouks@dnr.IN.gov.