TreeSD wins million dollar grant for Urban Forestry Project

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – Local non-profit, Tree San Diego, has received a substantial grant from CAL FIRE for its Branch Out San Diego project which will increase tree canopy and urban forests planting by 1,575 trees.

Elektra Fike-Data, Associate Director, Tree San Diego. spoke about the grant on KUSI News.

The full press release with information about the grant is below:

The $1.18 million grant funding provided by the CAL FIRE Urban and Community Forestry Program through California’s Climate Investments will go to the implementation of Tree San Diego’s Branch Out San Diego (Branch Out SD) project. Branch Out SD is the region’s first mass residential tree planting that will bring urban forestry benefits directly to San Diego County residents. The project will deliver Tree Steward training, GHG reduction analyses, community education, and Climate Action Plan enhancement throughout the County starting in Fall 2020.

“Tree San Diego’s urban forestry program is essential to improving the quality-of-life of our neighborhoods while we address the impacts of climate change,” stated City of San Diego Councilmember, Chris Ward. “The Branch Out San Diego project is a positive and progressive solution to supporting the region’s urban forestry targets and through its education component will plant the seed of good tree stewardship in our young San Diegans.”

The Branch Out SD project will serve disadvantaged and low-income communities through residential land planting that will also reduce heat island effect, foster community engagement and environmental awareness, and increase residential energy savings. Unique to this project is the use of state-of-the-art aerial imaging data through photogrammetry to be used in future urban forestry plans. Tree San Diego’s public-facing Tree Plotter software will continue to map all trees planted throughout the project

For more information visit:

Tree San Diego www.treesandiego.org

Branch Out San Diego project website: www.treesandiego.org/branch-out-san-diego

Cal Fire grant program website www.fire.ca.gov/grants/urban-and-community-forestry-grant-programs/