Deadline- May 15, 2012
American Forests partners with private organizations and the US Forest Service, and selects lands where additional funding can help create a new forest that would not be possible under existing programs and budgets.
By expanding the area of healthy trees and forests, and restoring natural ecosystems, Global ReLeaf tree planting projects provide long-term environmental, economic, and social benefits. Growing trees prevent soil erosion, clean waterways, and absorb harmful greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, including carbon dioxide. Forests also help recharge groundwater and sustain stream flow, provide vital habitat for wildlife, and offer people a multitude of recreational activities. Each planting area is responsibly managed to provide optimal benefits.
Eligibility-
Only non-profit, community, and government organizations may apply.
Proposals must be submitted by non-profit organizations or public agencies that have expertise and experience in conducting tree planting projects-
Projects must be conducted on:
- Public lands designated for long-term conservation purposes.
- Private lands with credible assurance of long-term conservation uses (e.g. conservation easement), management capacity and public access.
Projects should:
- Be conducted on sites that have been damaged or degraded by natural or human causes (e.g. wildfire, hurricanes, tornadoes, insects and disease, unsustainable logging, land clearing, mineral extraction).
- Be designed to help restore environmental and societal benefits through restoration tree planting (e.g. water quality and quantity, wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities, non-timber forest products).
- Plant a diversity of tree species native to the area.
- Be supervised by individuals with credible expertise in tree planting, care and long-term maintenance.
- Include plans for:
- Providing photo images of project sites before and after tree planting.
- Collecting data (e.g. survival and growth rates) on tree planting success upon project completion and after one and five years.
- Measuring progress toward restoration goals or desired outcomes.
- Build local partnerships among multiple public and private organizations.
- Engage local volunteers in tree planting, long-term tree care and project-monitoring activities.
- Promote project visibility through educational and media outreach, tours and other events related to the tree-planting project.
- Demonstrate strong leverage of local support (funding and in-kind) to achieve a greater number of trees planted with the grant funds.
For more information, visit this link
