NEWPORT, Ky. — The City of Newport received a $1 million federal grant, which city officials say will be used to plant up to 1,000 trees.
The city is teaming up with ReNewport to remove concrete to create planting spaces for the new trees, according to a press release from Newport City Manager Tom Fromme.
The city said the urban forestry grant was awarded through the Federal Inflation Reduction Act. It was enacted by Congress in 2022 with the goal of combating climate change through providing access to trees and other types of green space in urban communities.
"Thanks to the generous grant, Newport will embark on an ambitious tree planting initiative that promises to revitalize our community and promote a sustainable future for the west side," said Newport Mayor Tom Guidugli Jr. "Trees play a pivotal role in improving air quality, reducing urban heat and enhancing the overall quality of life for our residents."
The City of Newport, ReNewport, Urban Canopy Works and the Westside Citizens Coalition all applied for the grant, which is administered by the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Services, as a partnership.
The grant was a part of the over $1 billion in awards supporting nearly 400 projects across the U.S. The city said the funding will help continue ReNewport's commitment to urban forestry, which has already planted more than 600 trees in the city in recent years.
"The grant application was really a showcase of the work the neighborhood of West Newport has done since 2015 in an effort to bring an urban tree canopy and environmental resiliency to the neighborhood," said ReNewport Executive Director Josh Tunning. "We showed that Newport is a city that encourages and promotes teamwork and truly believes in the power of its community."
According to Tunning, the city plans to move thousands of square feet of "uneeded concrete that will be replaced with new greenspace," along with planting trees along streets and in city parks.
"This effort will ensure that West Newport is a climate resilient neighborhood and that our residents and local businesses get to enjoy all the environmental and economic benefits that an urban tree canopy brings," Tunning said.
The city's west side neighborhoods are covered by around 12% of tree canopy, compared to up to 54% in other parts of Newport, the city said.
"Inequities in tree canopy cover means higher utility costs, poorer health conditions and lower quality of life for some," Urban Canopy Works owner Rachel Comte said. "This grant will be solely focused on work in the west side of Newport to continue our work to remedy this inequity."
The city has not said exactly where it plans to create the space to plant the new trees, but it did say that over a five-year period, the Newport grant will fund creating planting space and planting and maintaining an estimated 200 trees a year that will help combat extreme heat and climate change and improve access to nature.
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