Urban Forestry in West Virginia
The care and management of trees within urban settings provides much more than shade and a touch of green. Every year, trees found in and around West Virginia communities capture and remove a total of 4,348,592 pounds of pollutants from the air we breathe with an estimated value of $6,441,179.
The trees in our urban areas clearly improve our quality of life. Because of this, West Virginia Division of Forestry places great importance on the care of our urban forests. The Urban and Community Forestry program promotes the long-term care of trees in cities and communities throughout the state by cooperating with communities to develop municipal tree boards and establish guidelines for planting and care of trees on public property.
Learn more about the guidelines and tips we offer to help your trees thrive.
Community EquiTree Grants
The Division of Forestry Urban and Community Forestry program is now providing funding to West Virginia municipalities, public schools and nonprofits for the management of urban trees on public lands through the Community EquiTree (CET) Grant program. This new grant opportunity is provided by pass-through funding from the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry (UCF) Program through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). CET Grants promote urban tree planting and other urban forestry projects on public property within communities and neighborhoods that are federally designated as disadvantaged. Only federally disadvantaged communities are eligible as determined by the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST). The primary objectives of this program are to provide municipal governments and other public entities with funding to increase canopy cover in communities with few trees, improve human health and build the capacity of municipal tree care efforts.
This is a competitive grant program available to public entities for the management of urban trees on public lands. The maximum grant request per application is $50,000 and will not require a local match.
Applicants are required to be Registered Vendors with the State of West Virginia and to enter into an agreement with the WVDOF detailing the grant project. Please download the West Virginia Division of Forestry Urban and Community Forestry Community EquiTree Grant Instructions and other documents below for additional eligibility and project requirements.
Applications are due on December 30, 2024 by COB (4:30pm) and will be scored by WVDOF Urban Forestry staff and a UCF awards committee with the highest ranking applicants receiving funding.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to email WVDOF Urban Forestry staff, Bob Hannah and Sam Adams, at: [email protected] during the development phase of proposals for guidance and with any grant questions. Chris Bodkin, EqiTree Grant Specialist, is available to provide technical assistance and proposal development at: [email protected]
Community EquiTree Grant Forms
2024 Community Equitree Grant Awards
| Community/Entity | Award Amount | Project Description |
| Charleston | $50,000 | Inventory of public trees and planting sites |
| Elkins | $23,227 | Tree planting, pruning and public outreach |
| Parkersburg | $8,520 | Tree maintenance |
| Lewisburg | $10,000 | Inventory of public trees and outreach |
| WVU | $21,857 | High value tree pruning and planting |
| Total Awards | $113,604 |
All About Trees in the City
Plant Trees
City life can be harsh for young tree seedlings. Optimize their survival by following the simple tips provided here for choosing and planting your trees in West Virginia communities.
Care of Trees
From mulching, pruning and protecting trees during construction, there is much to consider in order to keep your trees in a healthy state, thriving for years to come. Learn more about the care and maintenance of urban trees.
Programs for Tree Protection
Along with the support of the Urban and Community Forestry program, communities throughout West Virginia benefit from numerous programs designed to assist in the planning, planting, and care of urban forestry: Tree City USA, WV Project CommuniTree, and Mountaineer Treeways Program.
