Three Wisconsin regional planning commissions and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) have jointly awarded $122,000 in grants to communities under their 2018/19 Wisconsin Regional Planning Commissions (RPCs) and DNR Great Lakes Basin Tree Planting Grant Program. Twenty Wisconsin communities will receive funds for projects to reduce runoff and mitigate the impacts of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). The grant funds are supporting the planting of nearly 1,000 trees throughout the Wisconsin Great Lakes Basin to help reduce runoff and recover from canopy losses from EAB.

The funding was made available through two FY2018 U.S. Forest Service Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GRLI) grants received by the Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission earlier in 2017. The 20 grant recipients were awarded grants ranging from $2,500 to $15,000, with grant recipients providing at least a 25% match of the total project. Grants have been awarded to city, village and county governments to assist with tree planting projects totaling nearly $125,000. A complete list of grant recipients is available.

For additional information about the Wisconsin RPCs and DNR Great Lakes Basin Tree Planting Grant Program, contact Angela Kowalzek-Adrians, Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission, at 920-448-2820, Ext. 106 or AngelaKA@baylakerpc.org.