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<br />MN ReLeaf Project Examples -
<br />Copies of past project proposals and local contact info are available from DNR or Tree Trust.
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<br />Grantee: Mountain Lake Public School - Project: ReLeaf Our Community - Grant amount: $15,000
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<br />This comprehensive project is headed by a community Green Team including, the Community Education Coordinator at
<br />the school, a local landscaper, the High School Agriculture teacher and Lions Club, with technical support from the DNR,
<br />Tree Trust and Soil & Water Conservation District. Over a 3-year timeline, this Green Team will form a city Tree Board,
<br />rewrite the city's tree ordinance, and train students and volunteers of all ages to help inventory their urban forest. They
<br />will also develop a long-term management plan and begin to implement that plan by removing hazardous trees and limbs
<br />and planting trees in areas identified by the inventory. This project will help them meet requirements to become a Tree
<br />City USA, certified by the National Arbor Day Foundation.
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<br />Grantee: Big Lake Township - Project: Oak Wilt Program - Grant amount: $14,350
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<br />Big Lake, a growing town north of the twin-cities metro area, developed their own Community Forestry Program with
<br />guidance from the Sherburne County Forester and DNR staff. The initial program focuses on oak wilt suppression,
<br />reforestation and an overall forest assessment. As part of the program, Master Gardeners and Woodland Advisors,
<br />community volunteers trained by the University of Minnesota Extension Service, assist with a variety of tasks, including
<br />site inspections, marking diseased trees, verifying aerial photos, reforestation and educational outreach to township
<br />residents. By evaluating the current program and needs of residents, the project will result in a long-term Community
<br />Forestry Plan for the community.
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<br />Grantee: Northside Residents Redevelopment Council (NRRC), Minneapolis -
<br />Project: Plymouth Avenue Visioning "A Pathway" - Grant amount: $10,000
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<br />The Plymouth Avenue Visioning Project is an initiative of NRRC to revitalize the Plymouth Avenue corridor in north
<br />Minneapolis. As part of their efforts to revitalize the environment of the corridor, the ReLeaf grant will be used to complete
<br />an inventory of private and public trees along the 3.5 mile corridor to assess species diversity, tree health and available
<br />planting spaces. Tree Trust is contracted to help train community volunteers to do the tree inventory using hand-held
<br />computers. Based on this inventory, trees will be planted by volunteer families, supervised by Master Gardeners, Tree
<br />Care Advisors and Park Board Foresters. A long-term maintenance plan and a Community Forestry Plan will be
<br />developed for the area, including proper planting and maintenance workshops for residents and business owners.
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<br />Grantee: City of Robbinsdale - Project: Community Forestry Sustainability Plan - Grant amount: $12,000
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<br />Robbinsdale, a suburb of the twin-cities area, has had a tree program since the early 1970's. Recently, the significant
<br />increase of the incidence of Dutch elm disease and a 25% reduction in state aid have strained the city's ability to meet
<br />residents' demands. So, this grant helped the City Forester identify and inventory areas with the highest tree losses and
<br />produce a Management Plan for these priority areas that will serve as a model for rest of the town and will help with
<br />decision making. Grant funds were used to contract a seasonal Tree Inspector, produce technical brochures for
<br />community workshops, and to plant 50 replacement trees.
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<br />Grantee: City of Cokato - Project: Voucher Program for Energy Conservation - Grant amount: $5,500
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<br />Cokato, a central-Minnesota town of 2,200, wanted to encourage its residents to plant trees to replace ones lost in a
<br />recent tomado. The City and Lions Club, with technical support from regional tree professionals, organized a program to
<br />offer residents a voucher for $35-off per tree from a local nursery. In order to receive a voucher, residents were required
<br />to attend one of two community workshops, where they learned about tree planting and tree care, and worked with local
<br />Master Gardeners to determine the best tree selection and placement on their property for energy conservation benefits.
<br />At the workshop, residents also signed an agreement to purchase mulch for their trees and provide ongoing care.
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