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Nebraska Forest Service awards grants through Shade our StreetsNebraska The Nebraska Forest Service has awarded $150,000 in grants to 13 Nebraska communities. The grant program, called Shade our Streets, will fund planting about 888 large-maturing shade trees at 17 project sites. "The grant focuses on planting large-maturing shade trees along public right-of-ways to increase canopy in areas which have few, declining or no trees," said Jessica Kelling, Shade our Streets grant administrator with the Nebraska Forest Service. Organizations and communities may apply for up to 80 percent of their project's cost and must be able to match the award with local funds. With local matching dollars, the total value of all 2009 grant project proposals is $210,326. The Shade Our Streets grant program is one of three community grants that are part of ReTree Nebraska, a 10-year cooperative initiative created to reverse the decline of Nebraska's community forests. "The Shade Our Streets projects include planting trees along streets in the downtown areas and along streets near schools, city parks and other public spaces," said Kelling. "Research has shown that trees planted along streets can help slow traffic and extend the life of streets and parking lots by shading them. Trees create pleasing streets for walking, which results in healthier communities, and consumers respond positively to shopping environments with a healthy urban forest." The grants come to the Nebraska Forest Service through the Nebraska Department of Road's Community Enhancement Program. For more information about the benefits of community forests, ReTree Nebraska and other grant opportunities, visit www.retreenebraska.unl.edu. 2009 NCEP SOS Funded Projects include: Cozad: Cozad Elementary Shade Our Schools, $18,500; Fremont: Replanting Our Legacy street trees, $18,100; Hastings: Hastings Park Arboretum street trees, $18,600; Laurel: Street Tree Replacement Program, $2,500; Lexington: Kirkpatrick Memorial Park street trees, $6,000; Lincoln: Downtown Lincoln street trees, $19,700; Ogallala: West 5th Street tree project, $7,200; Omaha: Restoration and Renovation of Joslyn Castle Landscape, $4,500; Omaha: Omaha Downtown Arboretum street trees, $10,000; Omaha: White Hawk Park street trees, $6,500; Omaha: Hillrise Elementary School street trees, $2,700; Omaha: Zorinsky Park Aquatic Center street trees, $5,500; Polk: street tree project, $16,000; Wayne: Wayne State College street and parking lot trees, $4,200; Scottsbluff: Dr. Alan C. Landers Soccer Complex street trees, $10,000.
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