MDC offers TRIM grants for community tree care

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is offering cost-share grant money to help communities improve the care of their trees. These Tree Resource Improvement and Maintenance (TRIM) grants can help government agencies, public schools, and not-for-profit groups manage, improve, and conserve trees and forests on local public land.

According to MDC, the grant monies are often used to fund community tree inventories, removal or pruning of hazardous trees, tree planting, and to train volunteers and city and county employees to best care for community trees and forests.

"TRIM grant recipients focus on keeping their neighborhood trees healthy and thriving, which translates to a whole host of social, economic, and environmental benefits for the community and the state," said MDC Forestry Management Chief Justine Gartner.

TRIM grants are administered by MDC in cooperation with the Missouri Community Forest Council. The program provides reimbursements of $1,000 to $10,000 to grant recipients to fund up to 60 percent of money needed for projects. Projects located in communities with the Arbor Day Foundation's Tree City USA designation are eligible for an additional 15 percent in matching funds.

TRIM grant applicants must submit a completed application by June 3 that details project costs and funding sources, maps and drawings of the project site, and a narrative outlining the purpose and anticipated long-term impacts of the project. Proposals are assessed on a competitive basis for their value to the community, the ability to promote, improve, and develop a community's forest, and economic feasibility.

To apply and for more information, visit the MDC website at mdc.mo.gov/node/11123.

TRIM GRANT WORKSHOPS

To assist potential applicants, MDC will hold the following TRIM grant workshops:

• Wednesday, April 6, in Belle from 10 a.m. to noon at Belle City Hall, 200 East 3rd St.
  Registration is required. Contact MDC Forester Ann Koenig at 573-815-7900, ext. 3479, or Ann.Koenig@mdc.mo.gov.
• Monday, April 11, in Joplin from 10 a.m. to noon at Wildcat Glades Conservation and Audubon Center, 201 W. Riviera Drive. Registration is required. Contact MDC Forester Jon Skinner at 417-629-3423 or Jon.Skinner@mdc.mo.gov.
• Tuesday, April 12, in Springfield from 10 a.m. to noon at the MDC Southwest Regional Office, 2630 N. Mayfair. Registration is required. Call the office at 417-895-6880 for more information.
• Wednesday, April 13, in West Plains from 9 to 11 a.m. at the MDC Ozark Regional Office, 551 Joe Jones Blvd. Registration is required. For more information, call the office at 417-256-7161.
• Tuesday, April 19, in Lee's Summit from 10 a.m. to noon at the MDC Kansas City Regional Office 12405 SE Ranson Road. Registration is NOT required. Call MDC's Discovery Center at 816-759-7300 for more information.
• Tuesday, April 26, in Kirkwood from 6 to 8 p.m. at the MDC Powder Valley Nature Center, 11715 Cragwold Road. Registration is required. Contact MDC Forester Mark Grueber at 314-301-1500 or Mark.Gruber@mdc.mo.gov.
• Tuesday, April 26, in Columbia from 10 a.m. to noon at the MDC Central Regional Office, 3500 E. Gans Road. Registration is required. Contact MDC Forester Ann Koenig at 573-815-7900, ext. 3479, or Ann.Koenig@mdc.mo.gov.
• Tuesday, May 10, in Cape Girardeau from 9 a.m. to noon at the MDC Southeast Regional Office, 2302 County Park Drive. Registration is required. Call the office at 573-290-5730 for more information.