Ohio Division of Forestry recently awarded the City of Tiffin’s Shade Tree Commission’s grant request for $50,000 which will be applied toward the City’s urban forest from now through June of 2025.
Tiffin is one of 36 municipalities and organizations throughout Ohio to secure this opportunity, which is awarded on behalf of the US Forest Service’s Inflation Reduction Act funding. These funds do not require a local match because they support disadvantaged areas as defined by the Council on Environmental Quality’s Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST). This tool reviews data in census tracts nationwide, determining disadvantaged tracts by comparing factors like climate change, energy cost, and health of residents to standards established by the President's Council on Environmental Quality.
Residents can expect to see 55 young tree plantings and the removal of 15 trees that are ending their life cycle, plus a continual improvement of site preparation for all of Tiffin’s future public planting sites.
Tiffin Mayor Lee Wilkinson praised the collaborative efforts of the groups. “Congratulations to the City of Tiffin’s Shade Tree Commission and to the City Public Works Department for doing the hard work that it takes to qualify for this grant. Your effort goes a long way in helping to keep Tiffin a great place to live, work, and play.”
A portion of the funds will be used to consult professional urban foresters to complete a full inventory of the City’s public trees. The inventory will serve as a basis of truly enduring effects like canopy restoration, stormwater runoff filtration/reduction, and species diversification. With an accurate inventory, empirically-based plan, and consistent management, Tiffin will keep itself in position to provide residents maximum return on their investment into green infrastructure.