Qualified arboricultural workforce development for pacific island disadvantaged communities

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service's Inflation Reduction Act Urban & Community Forestry Program (CFDA 10.727) awarded a $9,000,000 Project Grant to Friends Of Hawaii's Urban Forest, doing business as Smart Trees Pacific, to enhance urban forests, build workforce capacity, and implement forest stewardship plans in Hawaii, Guam, and the Mariana Islands over a 5-year period from May 2024 to February 2029.

The funded activities will focus on developing a qualified arboricultural workforce for Pacific Island disadvantaged communities, implementing Forest Action Plans for forest stewardship and urban community forestry, managing urban and community forestry programs, and promoting citizen engagement through initiatives like the Citizen Forester and Tree City USA programs. These projects aim to restore and expand tree canopy, promote environmental justice, and deliver ecosystem services and socio-economic benefits through urban forestry in the Pacific region.