The Village of Arlington Heights is home to more than 77,000 residents and boasts an urban forest of approximately 36,000 parkway trees. The urban forest has changed tremendously in the past decade due to the devastating damage caused by the emerald ash borer. The Village lost over ten thousand ash trees on Village-owned property. Since then, thousands of trees have been replaced with a diverse array of species, strengthening the health and resilience of the urban forest. Still, new types of invasive insects and diseases continue to threaten the Village's urban forest. The Village understands the benefits trees provide the community and is committed to enhancing its forestry program.  

In 2023, Staff applied for $100,000 in grant funding from the Urban and Community Forestry (UCF) Inflation Reduction Act Grant to plant new trees in open tree planting locations within Arlington Heights. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is providing funding for this grant, and the distribution of funding will be monitored and managed by their administrative partner, GreenLatinos, an environmental organization based out of Washington, D.C. Out of 842 communities that applied, the Village was one of only 18 communities selected in Illinois and California.  

With the funds provided by this grant, the Village will enhance its current forestry tree planting procedures by increasing the tree count within the community's urban forest, thereby fostering a more inclusive community-based urban forestry program. The grant does not require any additional matching funds from what is already programmed in the annual Village Budgets. The Village Attorney has reviewed the required agreement.

RECOMMENDATION 

Public Works staff recommends that the Village Board approve the attached resolution and acceptance of the USDA Urban and Community Forestry Inflation Reduction Act grant award and authorize the agreement between the Village of Arlington Heights and GreenLatinos of Washington, D.C., who will manage the grant for the USDA.