Iowa City Parks and Recreation Department awarded two grants to plant new trees

Lang
3/25/23

The Iowa City Parks and Recreation Department has been awarded two separate grants that will help plant new trees around the city. The combined funds will provide $15,000 towards the city’s efforts to expand and diversify its urban tree canopy. That includes $10,000 from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Iowa DNR) as part of its Community Forestry Grant Program, as well as $5,000 from MidAmerican Energy Company’s Trees Please! grant program.

The Forestry Division plans to use the DNR funds to plant 65 trees in City Park to replace trees lost due to Emerald Ash Borer. The new trees will be planted the week leading up to Arbor Day, April 28th, with the help of high school volunteers. Previous awards from the DNR’s grant program have been used to add trees at Wetherby Park, Thornberry Dog Park, and Riverfront Crossings Park.

The Forestry Division will use the MidAmerican funds to plant new trees in right-of-ways around the city.