The Forestry Operations Division of Kansas City Parks and Recreation has received a $25,000 Tree Resource Improvement and Maintenance (TRIM) grant from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). TRIM grants assist Missouri communities with the management, improvement and/or conservation of their trees and forests.
The grant will be used to expand the City’s capacity to care for its urban forest by creating an Urban Forest Master Plan with broad buy-in from leaders and citizens. The plan will address the following issues and opportunities:
- Rapid decline of KCMO’s urban canopy and extraordinary stresses on it such as the emerald ash borer, even as its importance in protecting the city from weather extremes increases,
- Limited funding available to support maintenance and replacement planting on public lands, and none for planting on the preponderance of private lands
- Potential for greater coordination across city departments and the public and private sectors to conserve and augment our forests
- A general lack of awareness of the value of trees to our community.
The Urban Forest Master Plan process will be led by a consultant and take approximately 15 to 24 months to complete.
ABOUT TRIM
TRIM is a competitive, cost-share tree care program administered by the Department and the Missouri Community Forest Council. The program provides funds to assist government agencies, public schools, and nonprofit groups with the management, improvement, or conservation of trees on public lands.
ABOUT KC PARKS
Kansas City, Missouri Parks and Recreation provides facilities, programs and recreational opportunities for the community that contribute to an aesthetically pleasing environment and enhanced quality of life. The department maintains 221 parks, 12,242 acres of parkland, 158 miles of trails and bikeways, 29 lakes, hundreds of athletic fields and tennis courts, 103 playgrounds, and five public golf courses. Miles of scenic boulevards and parkways crisscross the city, where 48 fountains and 122 monuments and sculptures surprise and delight. Ten community centers, along with eight museums, provide the setting for socially equitable and community-driven programming.
CONTACT
Contact City Forester Kevin Lapointe at (816) 513-7776 or kevin.lapointe@kcmo.org