Photo credit: USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station, Bugwood.org

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is now accepting applications for Urban Wildlife Damage Abatement and Control (UWDAC) grants. UWDAC grants help urban areas develop wildlife plans, implement specific damage abatement and/or control measures for white-tailed deer and/or Canada geese. 

UWDAC grants provide a 50% cost share with a maximum award of $5,000. The grant is available to any town, city, village, county or tribal government located within an urban area. Check out the complete list of eligible urban areas.

Grant eligible expenses include:

• Developing an urban wildlife population control plan
• Monitoring wildlife populations and establishing population estimates
• Removing deer using sharpshooters as part of a DNR approved project
• Trapping deer and geese
• Implementing managed hunts
• Removing resident Canada geese by approved DNR methods
• Performing required health and tissue sampling
• Processing, distributing or disposing of geese or deer to a charitable organization
• Modifying habitat
• Implementing any other wildlife control or damage abatement practices approved by the DNR

Continue reading “Urban Wildlife Damage Abatement And Control Grants” →

Cities, villages, towns, counties, tribes and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in or conducting their project in Wisconsin are encouraged to apply for a regular or startup 2023 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Urban Forestry Grant.

The grants range from $1,000 to $25,000, and grant recipients must match each grant dollar for dollar. A startup grant of up to $5,000 is available for communities that want to start or restart a community forestry program. Grants are awarded to projects that align with state and national goals for increasing the urban forest canopy and the benefits it provides.

The recent Governor’s 2023-25 Biennial Budget increased funding to urban forestry grants by $350,000 over the biennium. In 2024, the annual allotment will increase by $175,000 to further fund Urban Forestry projects. Also available this grant cycle is an additional $145,000 in federal funding to be used for emerald ash borer treatment and ash tree removals and replacements. In total, $806,680 is currently available in regular and startup grant funding for 2024, with an additional $139,920 in reserve for catastrophic storm grants.

Continue reading “Reminder: 2023 DNR Urban Forestry Grant Applications Open” →

Cities, villages, towns, counties, tribes and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in or conducting their project in Wisconsin can apply for a regular or startup 2024 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Urban Forestry Grant.

The grants range from $1,000 to $25,000, and grant recipients must match each grant dollar for dollar. A startup grant of up to $5,000 is available for communities that want to start or restart a community forestry program. Grants are awarded to projects that align with state and national goals for increasing the urban forest canopy and its benefits.

The recent Governor’s 2023-25 Biennial Budget increased funding to urban forestry grants by $350,000 over the biennium. In 2024, the annual allotment will increase by $175,000 to further fund Urban Forestry projects. Also available this grant cycle is an additional $145,000 in federal funding to be used for emerald ash borer treatment and ash tree removals and replacements. In total, $806,680 is currently available in regular and startup grant funding for 2024, with an additional $139,920 in reserve for catastrophic storm grants.

Continue reading “Applications For Urban Forestry Grants Are Now Open!” →

Cities, villages, towns, counties, tribes and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in or conducting their project in Wisconsin can apply for a regular or startup 2024 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Urban Forestry Grant.

The grants range from $1,000 to $25,000, and grant recipients must match each grant dollar for dollar. A startup grant of up to $5,000 is available for communities that want to start or restart a community forestry program. Grants are awarded to projects that align with state and national goals for increasing the urban forest canopy and its benefits. Also available this grant cycle is an additional $145,000 in federal funding to be used for emerald ash borer treatment and ash tree removals and replacements.

The application deadline is Oct. 2, 2023. For more information, visit the Urban Forestry Grants webpage.

If you have questions regarding the application process and eligible projects, contact your DNR Urban Forestry Coordinator.

Please note: The DNR was recently allocated $4.875 million in Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding. We expect to competitively sub-award most of this allocation to local governments, tribal governments and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations through our grant program to fund projects that support equitable access to trees and the benefits they provide in disadvantaged communities across Wisconsin. We will be sharing more information about the IRA funding soon.

Applications for Urban Forestry Grants are opening soon!

Beginning June 30, 2023, cities, villages, towns, counties, tribes and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in or conducting their project in Wisconsin can apply for a regular or startup 2024 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Urban Forestry Grant.

The grants range from $1,000 to $25,000, and grant recipients must match each grant dollar for dollar. A startup grant of up to $5,000 is available for communities that want to start or restart a community forestry program. Grants are awarded to projects that align with state and national goals for increasing the urban forest canopy and its benefits. Also available this grant cycle is an additional $145,000 in federal funding to be used for emerald ash borer treatment and ash tree removals and replacements.

Continue reading “2024 DNR Urban Forestry Grant Application Period Opening Soon” →

The PROTECT Discretionary Grant Program is a new grant opportunity available through the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Highway Administration. PROTECT stands for Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient and Cost-Saving Transportation.

This new program funds projects addressing the climate resilience of transportation systems, including improving highways, public transportation, ports and intercity passenger rail. Selected projects will use innovative and collaborative approaches to risk reduction through the use of nature-based solutions, including conservation, restoration or construction of shade trees, native vegetation, bioswales, marshes, wetlands, breakwaters, reefs and dunes. These methods will help reduce heat impacts, flood risks, erosion and wave damage while also creating habitat, filtering pollutants and providing recreational benefits. 

Continue reading “Grant Opportunity Funds Nature-Based Solutions To Promote Resilient Transportation” →

The DNR Urban Forestry Grant program awarded $108,220 to eight Wisconsin communities for urban forestry projects during the second round of our 2023 funding. Most of the funding ($104,920) was originally reserved for the Catastrophic Storm Grant program but was not needed through the winter months. The rest of the funding ($3,300) came from underspent grants.

The following communities will receive the funds:

• Village of Allouez, $17,783.00
• Town of Beloit, $11,804.80
• Forest County Forestry & Recreation, $3,007.38
• Heckrodt Wetland Reserve, $5,581.97
• City of Kaukauna, $25,000.00
• Mequon Nature Preserve, $7,250.23
• City of Oshkosh, $25,000.00
• Urban Tree Alliance, $12,792.62

Continue reading “Eight Applicants Receive DNR Urban Forestry Grants In Second Round Of Funding” →

Local units of government (LUGs) are eligible to apply for four Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program grants and two related federal programs administered by the DNR. The application deadline is May 1, 2023 for the grant programs listed below.

Knowles-Nelson Stewardship local assistance grant programs:

• Aids for the Acquisition and Development of Local Parks (ADLP)
• Urban Green Space (UGS) grants
• Urban Rivers (UR) grants
• Acquisition of Development Rights (ADR)

Federal recreation grant programs:

• Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)
• Recreational Trails Program (RTP)

Applicants are advised that grant awards will be subject to the availability of funds and any procedural changes that may result from the forthcoming state budget and federal appropriations.

New funding will be available to states for urban and community forestry activities via the Federal Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Urban Forestry program is conducting a survey to better understand the funding needs of our partners. 

Your participation in this survey is very important. It will help us guide Wisconsin’s request for Inflation Reduction Act funding to supplement our program.

Please allow for less than ten minutes of your time and go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QSJTRJY to complete the survey. 

The survey will close at the end of the day on Friday, Jan. 20. We value your input; this is incredibly important information for us. Thank you for setting aside a few minutes of your busy schedule.