Twin Cities region to gain over 5,000 trees thanks to grant program
Minneapolis Skyline from Loring Park. (Photo by: Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Metropolitan Council approved $2.5 million in grants, igniting an effort to plant 5,100 new trees and remove 2,200 diseased trees across the Twin Cities.
The Community Tree Planting Grants will give 14 cities and parks an opportunity to expand their forestry.
The Community Tree Planting Grant Program
The backstory:
The grant program, established in 2024, started when the Minnesota Legislature set aside $2.5 million to the Met Council. The money was appropriated for the purpose of regional tree canopy improvements. The legislation deems growth of trees as an essential solution to climate and public health issues.
The grant is one of the largest forestry investments in the state's history, making the Twin Cities a national leading region for equitable tree canopy development.
Who is receiving the grants?
Local perspective:
Recipients include cities all over the seven-county metro area, from Anoka to Minnetonka to Oakdale. Grant amounts given to each city range based on population. Here's the list of cities to receive the grants:
- Anoka - $83,100 for Sunny Acres Area Urban forest Restoration and enhancement projct
- Blaine - $94,880 to remove and replace 39 ash trees
- Brooklyn Center - $142,350 for canopy improvements
- Coon Rapids - $94,500 for Grow Urban Coon Rapids
- Maple Grove - $82,823 for the Rice Lake Neighborhood Ash Tree Project
- Minneapolis - $454,407 for ash tree removal completion and replanting project
- Minnetonka - $227,215 for the Minnetonka Tree Planting Program
- Oakdale - $174,543 for diseased ash tree removal and replacement, tree planting in public spaces and rights of way
- Ramsey - $84,255 for Majesty of the Commons - ash replacement and community collaboration
- Ramsey County - $171.050 for Pierce Butler Route Tree Canopy Improvement Project
- Roseville - $251,796 for the city's EAB mitigation
- St. Louis Park - $72,383 for park canopy restoration project
- Vadnais Heights - $220,196 for Vadnais Heights Urban Canopy Program
- West St. Paul - $296,500 for the city's tree canopy improvement project
The Twin Cities' need for trees
Why you should care:
The Met Council received over 30 applications asking for more than $5 million in efforts to plant more trees.
Concerns are growing among experts as urban heat patterns in the Twin Cities rise. However, they say trees can help this issue. Through shade and evapotranspiration, trees can reduce air temperatures by up to 10 degrees. Besides this, they provide habitats for local wildlife, improve air quality and manage stormwater.
"Removing older, distressed ash trees will make our neighborhoods safer immediately, while thousands of new healthy trees will provide cooling shade, cleaner air and wildlife habitats that people can appreciate and enjoy for decades," Met Council Senior Climate Planner Gillian Greenberg said.
Those who received grants have until June 30, 2027, to complete their projects.