City of Akron and Partners Receive $1 Million in Community Forestry Funding from Federal Inflation Reduction Act Award
Ohio Pen/10239961

~ The City of Akron, Ohio, has been awarded $1 Million in funding from the United States Department of Agriculture U.S. Forest Service to develop an Urban Forestry workforce training pipeline in five disadvantaged neighborhoods experiencing the highest tree canopy loss in Akron. The project, titled Project ACORN: Akron Community-Owned Reforestation Network, will be implemented with the help of nonprofit partners Truly Reaching You, Akron Urban League, the Akron Zoo, and CommEN Strategies.

The funding will be used to create an Urban Forestry Academy site on city-owned land at Theiss Road. The 64 acre site was previously considered for either new housing development or conservation and will remain a City asset for the duration of the 5-year grant period. Residents re-entering society from prison and placed by Truly Reaching You or young adults participating in the Youth Entrepreneurship Program program at the Akron Zoo will be eligible to join the Academy. Participants in the program will train to hone skills in tree planting, trimming, pruning, tree identification, invasive species control, common tree diseases and ailments, tree health monitoring, and long-term tree maintenance. Upon conclusion of the 8-week program they may receive industry certifications and technical skills to pursue a career in forestry.

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Mayor Horrigan said that "Pursuing Akron's urban tree canopy goals through the Akron Urban Forestry Academy can help us address the racial wealth gap and watershed protection" adding that "President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act funding allows us to align our community health, development and planning programs in more effective ways".

The City of Akron released its Urban Tree Canopy Assessment and Planting Plan in 2021 which found that a multifaceted approach was needed to expand tree cover including emphasis on tree planting, maintenance, tree preservation as well as community outreach and education to develop wide public support for urban forestry efforts. Project ACORN seeks to deliver workforce development benefits as well as racial equity benefits such as climate and stormwater management benefits to City residents.

Akron is part of a cohort of urban communities receiving more than $1 Billion made available through President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act which seeks to support equitable access to trees and their associated benefits such as improved air quality and reduced energy costs due to shade provided by trees.

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The project is one of 385 projects funded by the USDA Forest Service which addresses issues such as tree planting and maintenance; restoration; resilience; workforce development; planning & community engagement; extreme heat; among others.

The City of Akron is taking steps towards achieving its goal of 40% tree cover by 2040 with this project which seeks to improve the city's current 34.5% coverage through cultivating trees at its new Urban Forestry Academy site on city-owned land at Theiss Road.

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