Through financial support provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, DEEP’s Urban and Community Forestry Program is requesting proposals for the Urban Forested Natural Area and Riparian Corridor Restoration Grant Program.
Donor Name: Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
State: Connecticut
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 01/31/2025
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: Less than 1 Year
Details:
The Urban Forested Natural Area and Riparian Corridor Restoration Grant Program was created to support local land managers in their efforts to address forest health issues.
Urban forested natural areas and riparian corridors are important forms of green infrastructure and forest cover in the communities. These forested natural areas and riparian corridors encompass forests, and forested areas around ponds, lakes, wetlands, rivers, and streams. You might find these forests in city parks, town forests, or on land trust properties. These areas are distinct from other urban forest cover types such as street or landscape trees in that they are not surrounded by lawn or impervious surface. Rather, these forests look and feel like forests in more rural areas; when trees die they are typically left to decay and new trees are typically from regenerating seeds/seedlings rather than from plantings.
Examples of Forested Natural Areas and Riparian Corridors in Connecticut:
- Keney Park in Hartford
- East Rock Park in New Haven
- Rooster River in Bridgeport
Forested natural areas and riparian corridors play a key role in improving water quality, mitigating flood risk, reducing extreme heat, and supporting local biodiversity while also providing important social and health benefits to residents. At the same time, these forested natural areas and riparian corridors face many threats from invasive plant species, pests, and lack of management that jeopardize their health and resilience.
The Urban Forested Natural Area and Riparian Corridor Restoration Grant Program was created to help support local land managers in their efforts to address forest health issues by providing funding that can support management interventions to promote the health and resilience of urban natural forested areas and riparian corridors. Such projects may include, but are not limited to, chemical or mechanical removal of invasive plant species, vine removal, tree planting, and other site treatments intended to slow the spread of invasive plants and promote regeneration of native tree species. Invasive plants are non-native plants that are disruptive in a way that causes environmental or economic harm, or harm to human health.
Funding Information
Awards are for $2,500-$20,000.
Grant Period
Projects must be completed within the time frame determined through the project agreement – not to exceed ten months in duration.
Eligibility Criteria
- Grant recipients must either be a local government entity or be a 501(c)3 non-profit organization registered with the CT Secretary of State.
- Grant recipients must have a SAM.gov Unique Entity ID and be in good standing and not debarred, suspended, ineligible or excluded from entering into a transaction with the federal government or the state.
- Projects must take place in Connecticut.
- Projects must focus on urban forested natural areas, e.g. areas where natural plant regeneration can occur. This means areas that are not routinely mowed or that are surrounded by impervious surface.
- Projects must be focused on implementation or management interventions.
- Projects must include at least two (2) public meetings throughout the Project duration including at least one meeting within three months of Contract execution and one at Project completion. These meetings must engage local residents and neighbors to provide notice of the Project and solicit feedback on the proposed scope of work.
For more information, visit DEEP.
