The Ames Parks and Recreation Department has been awarded a $9,000 Community Forestry Grant from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Funds from this grant are available for community-based tree planting programs for derecho recovery tree planting. The Iowa DNR grant award, along with $4,000 from The Ames Foundation and a $5,000 grant secured by The Ames Foundation from the Trees Forever Branching Out Program, will be used to plant a total of 90 trees across Ames this October.
A record number of more than 60 volunteers planted trees during a community planting event hosted by The Ames Foundation on Saturday. Volunteers planted 51 trees in the neighborhood west of North Grand Mall. The event was assisted by volunteers from Trees Forever, Iowa DNR, and Country Landscapes.
“This area was hit particularly hard by the 2020 derecho, with several streets having only one or two remaining right-of way trees,” said City Forester Gabbi Edwards. “Adding trees to the rights-of-way will help the area recover from the derecho as well as provide shade and other environmental benefits for years to come.”
The remaining trees will be planted by Ames Parks and Recreation staff at various locations across Ames this week. These locations were selected after residents requested trees be planted in their rights-of-way to replace loss or because of a general interest in adding a tree.
The Parks and Recreation Department manages 38 parks and offers approximately 180 athletic, aquatic, instructional, and wellness programs. Indoor programs are provided year-round at the Community Center and Ames/ISU Ice Arena. For more information, visit the Parks and Recreation homepage at www.amesparkrec.org or call the Community Center at 515.239.5350.
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