Fall Trees For Kids Grants Awarded

Trees For Kids will fund 17 different projects totaling $67,000 to give more than 1,400 students hands-on experience planting 639 trees, and learning about the benefits that trees can bring to Iowa schools and communities.  

Each planting event will have an educational component with the students which include a planting demonstration. More than 225 adult volunteers will assist at the planting events, and given training to assist student with proper planting. Project Learning Tree training is provided to educators to create lesson plans and utilize curriculum with the planted trees. 

Grants are awarded to the following schools and groups: Chariton Housing Authority, Charles City High School; Clinton CSD; Decorah High School; Denison Arbor Committee; Durant Elementary, Sumner; City of Eddyville; Gilmore City; City of Milo; Ottumwa CSD – Liberty Elementary; City of Pleasant Hill; Roland-Story FFA; City of Sergeant Bluff; Clark Elementary, Sioux City; City of Slater; South Tama County FFA; and Woodbine Community Foundation. 

Forty-two different species will be planted throughout the state to help provide diversity to Iowa’s urban forests.  

The environmental impact of planting trees can now be quantified using a USDA Forest Service Tool called i-tree design.  This tool was utilized on each grant to determine energy benefits, stormwater runoff reduction, and carbon sequestration for the useful life of the trees.  It is available at http://www.itreetools.org/design.php. 

The useful life is estimated at 60 years, and crown growth modeling over the lifespan of the trees is utilized to provide accurate and increasing benefits over the lifespan of the tree.

Over their 60 year lifespan, these trees will save more than 189,000 kilowatt hours of electricity by shading buildings and more than 54,600 therms by slowing down winds and reducing building heat loss.  

Those trees will help reduce flooding throughout by intercepting over 38,700,000 gallons of storm water and will reduce over 9,000,000 pounds of atmospheric carbon dioxide through CO2 sequestration and decreased energy production needs and emissions.  

Trees planted around schools and in neighborhoods have also shown to give youth increased levels of concentration, lower levels of aggression, lower levels of obesity, and fewer symptoms of ADHD.  

Communities are made more livable by having a healthy, diverse tree canopy.  

The Trees for Kids and Trees for Teens grant program is funded by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Forestry Bureau, MidAmerican Energy, Black Hills Energy, Alliant Energy, Iowa Bankers Association, Trees Forever, Iowa Tree Farm Committee, and the Iowa Woodland Owners Association.

For information about how to apply for a spring Trees For Kids grant, go to our website or contact the grant coordinator at laura.wagner@dnr.iowa.gov.