Salisbury: More than $660,000 secured to bring urban and community forestry program to Forest Hills Borough
Additional $1.2 million awarded for Pittsburgh forestry, wood reuse programs
Rep. Abigail Salisbury November 13, 2024 | 10:55 AM
BRADDOCK, Nov. 13 – New funding of $660,500 from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will bring urban tree planting and stewardship programs to Wilkinsburg and Forest Hills boroughs, while an additional $1.2 million in DCNR grants will allow those programs to flourish in the city of Pittsburgh, state Rep. Abigail Salisbury announced today.
“It's hard to overestimate the importance of trees, particularly in urban areas,” Salisbury said. “They’re a natural way to reduce stormwater runoff, fight flooding, improve air quality and even reduce noise – not to mention the proven mental health benefits that even small areas of nature can provide.
“With the new funding, Wilkinsburg and Forest Hills boroughs and the city of Pittsburgh will be engaging communities in tree planting and stewardship and bringing residents and nature together in ways that will yield multiple, long-lasting benefits.”
Salisbury said the funding includes:
- $500,000 to Wilkinsburg Borough for a project to coordinate urban and community forestry by engaging communities in planting trees and building tree stewardship capacity.
- $160,500 to Forest Hills Borough for a project to coordinate urban and community forestry by engaging communities in planting trees and building tree stewardship capacity.
- $600,000 to Pittsburgh Conservation Corps to coordinate and fund an urban wood reuse project and urban and community forestry workforce development program in the city of Pittsburgh. (The funding will benefit multiple legislative districts in Allegheny County.)
- $604,400 to Student Conservation Association, Inc., to coordinate an urban and community forestry workforce development program in the city of Pittsburgh, which will include engaging youth forestry crews in planting trees and building local tree steward capacity, among other work. (The funding will benefit projects in the 19th, 21st, 34th, and 36th legislative districts.)
The grants come from the DCNR Community Conservation Partnerships Program, which supports projects to develop new parks, rehabilitate existing spaces and protect vital natural habitats. More information about the program is available here: https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/Communities/Grants/pages/default.aspx
A complete list of funding is available here: https://elibrary.dcnr.pa.gov/GetDocument?docId=8912068&DocName=2024_C2P2_Fall_Grants_List_Final.pdf