Urban Forestry

October 25, 2021
As an elected official, I attended the UN Climate Action Summit and listened to several presentations to make sure I gathered great information for our city and state. 

One of the points most talked about, in terms of local and state governmental action, was the fact that 70% of our emissions come from towns and cities across the globe. That means the municipalities, in partnership with the state, play a key role in reducing emissions.

One of the solutions to decrease these emissions is urban forestry. This solution was presented at the UN summit by https://cities4forests.com.

Trees are not only responsible for housing wildlife, but also for carbon sequestration, and shade. As simple as that might sound, planting trees in a city is a great way to absorb emissions. Additionally, the shade helps with maintaining lower temperatures in our streets. 

Image:Cities4Forests

In the fight for environmental justice and against climate change, the trees are our friends and need more protections. We need to assess the inventory of our trees to help with management. If any form of development seems to be removing trees in order to build, then the entity behind it, should be held responsible to replace equal or better shading and carbon sequestration and has to be planted in the same part of town. It is crucial that we do the best in each of our municipal districts. 

There are currently several grants that our state is offering to assist with this. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) has announced three upcoming urban forestry grant opportunities. Award amounts, types of projects funded, and deadlines vary; see Urban Forestry Grant Opportunities (ct.gov) for a full overview.

  • The Urban Forestry Climate Change Grant Program awards grants from $10,000-$37,000. These grants can be used to initiate, grow, support, and expand activities by municipalities and non-profits that use urban forestry to address issues of environmental justice and combat the impacts of climate change. Visit Urban Forestry Climate Change Grants Program – Connecticut Urban Forest Council for additional details and information.
  • The Urban Forestry Equity through Capacity Building Grant Program is designed to assist municipalities and non-profits interested in pursuing urban forestry projects while also building capacity within their organization. Awards range from $5,000-$10,000 and can fund projects that will address issues of environmental justice and combat the impacts of climate change. See Urban Forestry Equity through Capacity building Grant Program – CT DEEP/University of Connecticut for additional details and information.
  • The America the Beautiful Grant Program offers $1,000-$20,000 in funding for municipalities and non-profits to pursue planning projects in urban forestry. See America the Beautiful Grant Program – CT DEEP for additional details and information.

Reach out to Danica Doroski, danica.doroski@ct.gov with any questions.

Click here to view a powerpoint presentation with more information. 

So please share the news and this email with as many people as you think will be interested in planting trees in our city to gain more shade, more carbon sequestration, and cleaner air, as it will help with our efforts to fight for environmental justice and to combat climate change. 

There have been debates in Bridgeport recently in regards to Remington woods. The city would like to change their zoning laws so they can build rather than keep their precious trees. Urban forests should be considered more valuable than gold or oil, as they provide oxygen, absorb green house gases, provide shade, and also maintain healthy soils, which prevent landslides and other catastrophic scenarios. You can testify to Bridgeport's Zoning board at the virtual public hearing on November 16th at 6pm. Click here for more information: https://www.bridgeportct.gov/zoning

Bridgeport Zoning Meeting: 
Virtual Login:  https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88378119773...
Zoom Meeting ID: 883 7811 9773
Or call 888 475 4499 (Toll Free) or 877 853 5257 (Toll Free)
Click here to view more information via a Facebook event. 

The most vulnerable will always be the first to suffer from polluted air, water and soil, a derelict climate, increasing temperatures, and rising sea levels. Let us make sure our administrations and elected officials work on protecting our fauna and flora, ensure we increase carbon absorption, increase shade, and advocate for the good functioning of urban "micro" ecosystems.