Showing posts with label federal government. Show all posts
Showing posts with label federal government. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
Urban and community forests of the North Central East region: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin
Urban and community forests of the North Central East region: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin: This report details how land cover and urbanization vary within the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin by community (incorporated and census designated places), county subdivision, and county. Specifically this report provides critical urban and community forestry information for each state including human population characteristics and trends, changes in urban and community lands, tree canopy and impervious surface cover characteristics, distribution of land-cover classes, a relative comparison of urban and community forests among local government types, determination of priority areas for tree planting, and a summary of urban tree benefits. Report information can improve the understanding, management, and planning of urban and community forests.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Federal stimulus funds to plant 23,000 trees and support 200 jobs for California
California ReLeaf » Trees Benefit from Federal Funding:
In an effort to create jobs, improve the environment and stimulate the economy, the federal government in December awarded California ReLeaf $6 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds.
The ARRA funding will allow California ReLeaf to distribute grants to 17 urban forestry projects throughout the state, planting more than 23,000 trees, creating or retaining close to 200 jobs, and providing job training for scores of young people over the next two years.
ARRA funding has been responsible for a variety of green jobs including jobs in solar panel installation, alternative transportation, fire suppression, and more. The California ReLeaf grant is exceptional in that it provides jobs by planting and maintaining urban trees.
In an effort to create jobs, improve the environment and stimulate the economy, the federal government in December awarded California ReLeaf $6 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds.
The ARRA funding will allow California ReLeaf to distribute grants to 17 urban forestry projects throughout the state, planting more than 23,000 trees, creating or retaining close to 200 jobs, and providing job training for scores of young people over the next two years.
ARRA funding has been responsible for a variety of green jobs including jobs in solar panel installation, alternative transportation, fire suppression, and more. The California ReLeaf grant is exceptional in that it provides jobs by planting and maintaining urban trees.
Friday, January 29, 2010
USDA releases new geospatial data products; USA
Release No. 0036.10:
NASS produced the CDLs using satellite images observed at 56-meter (0.775 acres per pixel) resolution and collected from the Resourcesat-1 Advanced Wide Field Sensor (AWiFS), Landsat Thematic Mapper and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). The collection of images was then categorized using on-the-ground farm information including field location, crop type, land cover, elevation, tree canopy and urban infrastructure.
NASS produced the CDLs using satellite images observed at 56-meter (0.775 acres per pixel) resolution and collected from the Resourcesat-1 Advanced Wide Field Sensor (AWiFS), Landsat Thematic Mapper and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). The collection of images was then categorized using on-the-ground farm information including field location, crop type, land cover, elevation, tree canopy and urban infrastructure.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
US Forest Service issues job announcement for leader of national urban & community forestry program; USA
USAJOBS - Search Jobs:
The Assistant Director (AD), in conjunction with the Director of Cooperative Forestry, develops and implements broad policies and guidance for U&CF to increase program effectiveness at the national, regional, state and local level. This includes helping to establish policies, positions and agreements for the Forest Service on difficult and complex urban and community forestry issues. The AD provides leadership in cultivating partnerships with other federal agencies, state and local governments, tribes, community organizations, non-profit groups, universities, special interest groups and private industry to accomplish the strategic goals of the Forest Service and U&CF. The AD works with the staff to develop program priorities and is responsible for national level administration including financial planning, performance-based budget allocations, and program accountability. He/She also exercises the full range of supervisory duties including performing overall work planning, establishes work schedules and priorities, assigns and reviews work of staff, sets performance standards, provides performance reviews, and ensures that employees are provided developmental and training opportunities.
The Assistant Director (AD), in conjunction with the Director of Cooperative Forestry, develops and implements broad policies and guidance for U&CF to increase program effectiveness at the national, regional, state and local level. This includes helping to establish policies, positions and agreements for the Forest Service on difficult and complex urban and community forestry issues. The AD provides leadership in cultivating partnerships with other federal agencies, state and local governments, tribes, community organizations, non-profit groups, universities, special interest groups and private industry to accomplish the strategic goals of the Forest Service and U&CF. The AD works with the staff to develop program priorities and is responsible for national level administration including financial planning, performance-based budget allocations, and program accountability. He/She also exercises the full range of supervisory duties including performing overall work planning, establishes work schedules and priorities, assigns and reviews work of staff, sets performance standards, provides performance reviews, and ensures that employees are provided developmental and training opportunities.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
ARRA money helps Georgia provide green jobs through state Forestry Commission; GA
The Weekly Online!:
MACON, Ga., (December 17, 2009) - The Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC) will assist in the creation of more than 30 jobs in north Georgia as part of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The federal program will subsidize a grant totaling $897,000 to help stimulate the economy and restore ecosystems impacted by growth and urbanization. The funds will not replace or supplant state mandated GFC budget reductions, but can only be used for job retention or the creation of new, temporary positions in the forestry industry.
“Georgia’s ‘Growing Green’ project will help many north Georgia counties where the highest net changes in employment rates have occurred,” said Susan Reisch, Urban and Community Forestry Coordinator for GFC’s Sustainable Community Forestry Program. “The funding will help create and retain green jobs in nurseries, tool and equipment sales, and landscape architecture, among others. These jobs will help sustain the health and diversity of north Georgia forests, which have been impacted by the pressures of growth and urbanization.”
MACON, Ga., (December 17, 2009) - The Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC) will assist in the creation of more than 30 jobs in north Georgia as part of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The federal program will subsidize a grant totaling $897,000 to help stimulate the economy and restore ecosystems impacted by growth and urbanization. The funds will not replace or supplant state mandated GFC budget reductions, but can only be used for job retention or the creation of new, temporary positions in the forestry industry.
“Georgia’s ‘Growing Green’ project will help many north Georgia counties where the highest net changes in employment rates have occurred,” said Susan Reisch, Urban and Community Forestry Coordinator for GFC’s Sustainable Community Forestry Program. “The funding will help create and retain green jobs in nurseries, tool and equipment sales, and landscape architecture, among others. These jobs will help sustain the health and diversity of north Georgia forests, which have been impacted by the pressures of growth and urbanization.”
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Philadelphia Tree Planting Part of Skyline Initiative - $150,000 federal investment leverages $3.75 million; Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia Tree Planting Part of Skyline Initiative -- Environmental Protection:
The planting of 30 trees in a North Philadelphia park and neighborhood is one of many projects planned to make Philadelphia, Pa., a cleaner and greener city through Sustainable Skylines, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency program to help improve air quality and find solutions for other local environmental issues.
'Our Sustainable Skylines partnership with the city and other concerned organizations has a clear goal in mind – cleaner air in a greener city,' said EPA Acting Regional Administrator William C. Early. 'We commend Philadelphia as a leader in sustainability.' Philadelphia is the third city in the nation chosen to pilot the program.
The planting of 30 trees in a North Philadelphia park and neighborhood is one of many projects planned to make Philadelphia, Pa., a cleaner and greener city through Sustainable Skylines, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency program to help improve air quality and find solutions for other local environmental issues.
'Our Sustainable Skylines partnership with the city and other concerned organizations has a clear goal in mind – cleaner air in a greener city,' said EPA Acting Regional Administrator William C. Early. 'We commend Philadelphia as a leader in sustainability.' Philadelphia is the third city in the nation chosen to pilot the program.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Stimulus grant to help Kalispell combat elm disease; Kalispell, MT
Grant to help Kalispell combat elm disease:
Kalispell's urban forestry battle against Dutch elm disease is getting a boost from federal stimulus money.
The city is known for its lush canopy of deciduous trees lining its public streets.
But with an inventory of 369 American elm trees on the public right-of-way - 38 that already have been cut down and 40 more identified as dead and hazardous because they are infected with Dutch elm disease - there's a real risk of losing a substantial portion of that canopy. The disease is a fungus that can spread quickly if unchecked.
So when the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation offered $325,000 to cities to conduct innovative community tree projects, the city of Kalispell applied for and won a big chunk of it: $93,500.
Kalispell's urban forestry battle against Dutch elm disease is getting a boost from federal stimulus money.
The city is known for its lush canopy of deciduous trees lining its public streets.
But with an inventory of 369 American elm trees on the public right-of-way - 38 that already have been cut down and 40 more identified as dead and hazardous because they are infected with Dutch elm disease - there's a real risk of losing a substantial portion of that canopy. The disease is a fungus that can spread quickly if unchecked.
So when the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation offered $325,000 to cities to conduct innovative community tree projects, the city of Kalispell applied for and won a big chunk of it: $93,500.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Lawmakers angered that USDA fire Stimulus is funding green jobs UTC effort; Washington, D.C.
Stimulus money for wildfires going to DC parks Washington Examiner:
By: MATTHEW DALY Associated Press
09/23/09 5:15 PM EDT
WASHINGTON — Nearly $3 million in stimulus money targeted for fighting wildfires is being spent to restore public parks and watersheds in the nation's capital, which has no national forests.
The Forest Service has directed that $2.8 million in "Wildland Fire Management" funds, approved under the economic stimulus law, go to groups that will create "green jobs" in the District of Columbia. The projects are intended to restore public parks and watersheds in the city and highlight the value of urban parks, including a park 2 miles north of the White House that once was plagued by crime.
The stimulus money was awarded to the D.C. Department of Transportation's Urban Forestry Administration, which passed most of it on to Washington Parks & People. A city transportation spokesman could not be reached for comment Wednesday, but the agency said in a news release that the grant would create green jobs in the District and improve the health of the city's urban tree canopy.
By: MATTHEW DALY Associated Press
09/23/09 5:15 PM EDT
WASHINGTON — Nearly $3 million in stimulus money targeted for fighting wildfires is being spent to restore public parks and watersheds in the nation's capital, which has no national forests.
The Forest Service has directed that $2.8 million in "Wildland Fire Management" funds, approved under the economic stimulus law, go to groups that will create "green jobs" in the District of Columbia. The projects are intended to restore public parks and watersheds in the city and highlight the value of urban parks, including a park 2 miles north of the White House that once was plagued by crime.
The stimulus money was awarded to the D.C. Department of Transportation's Urban Forestry Administration, which passed most of it on to Washington Parks & People. A city transportation spokesman could not be reached for comment Wednesday, but the agency said in a news release that the grant would create green jobs in the District and improve the health of the city's urban tree canopy.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
i-Tree software package helps town undertake inventory, calculate trees' ecosystem services; Durham, NC
Forest Hills Neighborhood Association: Durham Street Tree Inventory/Canopy Analysis
Trees provide a lot to us as residents of Durham. Just what it is they do for us is sometimes hard to assign a value to. This makes it hard to justify spending the money needed to maintain an urban tree canopy, especially when other issues clamor for scarce resources.The good news is that there is a way to estimate the value of an urban forest. Thanks to a partnership between the Davey Resource Group and the US Forest Service, there is a suite of software called i-Tree that works in conjunction with a set of tools developed specifically for inventorying and evaluating the value, condition, and canopy density of an urban forest.
Trees provide a lot to us as residents of Durham. Just what it is they do for us is sometimes hard to assign a value to. This makes it hard to justify spending the money needed to maintain an urban tree canopy, especially when other issues clamor for scarce resources.The good news is that there is a way to estimate the value of an urban forest. Thanks to a partnership between the Davey Resource Group and the US Forest Service, there is a suite of software called i-Tree that works in conjunction with a set of tools developed specifically for inventorying and evaluating the value, condition, and canopy density of an urban forest.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Homeland Security road construction could displace bald eagles; Washington, DC
Road Could Chase Off Eagle Pair, Officials Say - washingtonpost.com
The Department of Homeland Security -- an agency with a bald eagle on its seal -- might drive away a pair of bald eagles by building a road near their nest in Southeast Washington, officials with the city and the National Park Service say.
The eagles live in a thickly wooded sliver of national parkland in Anacostia, where towering trees overlook their hunting grounds on the Potomac River. When they settled there in 2000, the pair were the first bald eagles to nest in the District in a half-century.
The Department of Homeland Security -- an agency with a bald eagle on its seal -- might drive away a pair of bald eagles by building a road near their nest in Southeast Washington, officials with the city and the National Park Service say.
The eagles live in a thickly wooded sliver of national parkland in Anacostia, where towering trees overlook their hunting grounds on the Potomac River. When they settled there in 2000, the pair were the first bald eagles to nest in the District in a half-century.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
250 plots to be surveyed across Nebraska to gather information on state's urban and rural tree resources; Nebraska
Media-Newswire.com - Press Release Distribution - PR Agency: "(Media-Newswire.com) - LINCOLN, Neb. — As part of the Great Plains Tree and Forest Invasives Initiative, approximately 250 randomly selected plots across Nebraska will be visited to evaluate the state's tree resources.
Beginning the end of May, three, two-person crews will be surveying 173 rural windbreak plots in 60 counties across the state and 80 urban plots in Lincoln and Omaha.
This year's inventory is a continuation of the work conducted last summer.
The Great Plains Tree and Forest Invasives Initiative is an effort of state forestry agencies in Nebraska, Kansas, North Dakota and South Dakota working together to prepare for the arrival of invasive species in the Great Plains. The agencies are assessing the region's tree resources, determining and addressing the potential impacts of invasives to those resources, creating public awareness of invasive species and promoting species diversity. The initiative is funded by a U.S. Forest Service grant and matching state funds."
Beginning the end of May, three, two-person crews will be surveying 173 rural windbreak plots in 60 counties across the state and 80 urban plots in Lincoln and Omaha.
This year's inventory is a continuation of the work conducted last summer.
The Great Plains Tree and Forest Invasives Initiative is an effort of state forestry agencies in Nebraska, Kansas, North Dakota and South Dakota working together to prepare for the arrival of invasive species in the Great Plains. The agencies are assessing the region's tree resources, determining and addressing the potential impacts of invasives to those resources, creating public awareness of invasive species and promoting species diversity. The initiative is funded by a U.S. Forest Service grant and matching state funds."
Friday, April 17, 2009
Grow Boston Greener hosts tree plantings as part of effort to increase UTC from 29% to 35%; Boston, MA; 4/15/09
News & Press Releases - City of Boston By Parks and Recreation
The City of Boston will be holding three tree planting events from 10 a.m. to 12 noon to celebrate Arbor Day 2009 on Friday, April 24.
The plantings are hosted by the Boston Parks and Recreation Department in partnership with Boston Shines and Grow Boston Greener, a partnership between the City and Boston’s Urban Forest Coalition, a coalition of non-profit, city, state, and federal organizations. All are being held rain or shine.
Grow Boston Greener (GBG) is a collaborative effort of the City of Boston and its partners in Boston’s Urban Forest Coalition (BUFC) to increase the urban tree canopy cover in the city by planting 100,000 trees by 2020. The planting of these trees will increase Boston’s tree canopy cover from 29% to 35%, by 2030 as the planted trees mature.
The City of Boston will be holding three tree planting events from 10 a.m. to 12 noon to celebrate Arbor Day 2009 on Friday, April 24.
The plantings are hosted by the Boston Parks and Recreation Department in partnership with Boston Shines and Grow Boston Greener, a partnership between the City and Boston’s Urban Forest Coalition, a coalition of non-profit, city, state, and federal organizations. All are being held rain or shine.
Grow Boston Greener (GBG) is a collaborative effort of the City of Boston and its partners in Boston’s Urban Forest Coalition (BUFC) to increase the urban tree canopy cover in the city by planting 100,000 trees by 2020. The planting of these trees will increase Boston’s tree canopy cover from 29% to 35%, by 2030 as the planted trees mature.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
USDA Secretary and NYC Mayor team up to create $2 million Green Jobs effort to support NYC UTC goal; NYC; 4/8/09
AGRICULTURE SECRETARY VILSACK AND MAYOR BLOOMBERG ANNOUNCE $2 ...USDA.gov (press release) - Washington,DC,USA
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and US Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the Department of Agriculture has awarded a $2 million grant to create green jobs and restore urban forests in New York City. The grant will create up to 20 new jobs in horticulture and forestry over the next two years for graduates of the MillionTreesNYC training program. MillionTreesNYC is a public-private partnership between the Bloomberg Administration and New York Restoration Project (NYRP) that aims to plant one million new trees throughout the five boroughs by 2017.
"These young Americans will embark on careers in the growing field of urban natural resource management and restoration and help show others that green jobs programs can be a path out of poverty."
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and US Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the Department of Agriculture has awarded a $2 million grant to create green jobs and restore urban forests in New York City. The grant will create up to 20 new jobs in horticulture and forestry over the next two years for graduates of the MillionTreesNYC training program. MillionTreesNYC is a public-private partnership between the Bloomberg Administration and New York Restoration Project (NYRP) that aims to plant one million new trees throughout the five boroughs by 2017.
"These young Americans will embark on careers in the growing field of urban natural resource management and restoration and help show others that green jobs programs can be a path out of poverty."
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Urban forestry strike team uses high-tech tools to assess storm impacts; Fayetteville, AR; 3/2/09
Urban Forestry Strike Team Assesses Park Damage KHBS/KHOG 40/29 - Fort Smith,AR,USA
Since the ice storm, the skyline has looked a little different in northwest Arkansas. Tops of trees were destroyed beyond repair, wiping out entire tree canopies. Thousands of trees, especially in the area's most well-known parks, were damaged or destroyed.
A special team of arborists with the Urban Forestry Strike Team was in town Friday to assess the damage. Their first stop was at Fayetteville's Wilson Park.
Since the ice storm, the skyline has looked a little different in northwest Arkansas. Tops of trees were destroyed beyond repair, wiping out entire tree canopies. Thousands of trees, especially in the area's most well-known parks, were damaged or destroyed.
A special team of arborists with the Urban Forestry Strike Team was in town Friday to assess the damage. Their first stop was at Fayetteville's Wilson Park.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)