The Urban Trees Grant Program, a requirement by the Maryland General Assembly as a component of a 5,000,000-tree goal by 2031, welcomes requests for tree planting projects in urban, underserved communities. Applications may be submitted online until 4:00 pm EST on March 3, 2022.

The goal of the Urban Trees Grant Program is to green communities to enhance quality of life, human health, and community livability by improving air quality and reducing the urban heat island effect. Another aim is to mitigate effects of climate change. Communities eligible to apply must be located in urban areas with low to median household income levels, high unemployment, neighborhoods with public housing, or those that were historically redlined at any time. Redlining is a term that describes a variety of race-based strategies, expressly endorsed by governments at various levels, that were used in the past to reinforce residential segregation.

Program grants support projects ranging from those serving a single, small neighborhood (up to $15,000 or approximately 25 to 100 trees) to those serving communities across an entire county (up to $1,000,000 or approximately 2,000-6,000 trees).

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Applications are now being accepted for the Historic Preservation Capital Grant Program FY22 round of grants. Applications may be submitted online until March 15, 2022.

The Historic Preservation Capital Grant Program promotes the acquisition, restoration, and rehabilitation of historic properties in Maryland. Eligible properties are limited to those which are listed in or determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, either individually or as a contributing structure within a district.

The Historic Preservation Capital Grant Program provides grants of up to $100,000 to nonprofits, local governments, businesses, and individuals for eligible projects. All applicants except for nonprofit organizations are required to provide a dollar-for-dollar match.

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The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking public comment on the proposed FY23 annual work plans for the Chesapeake/Pocomoke, Green Ridge, Potomac-Garrett, and Savage River state forests.

Annual work plans help DNR identify priorities within the scope of the forests’ long-range management. They address composition, establishment, growth, health, and quality along with construction and maintenance projects. The public comment period concludes March 4, 2022.

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