Project Grant 96214224

DESCRIPTION:THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING UNDER THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT TO IRONBOUND COMMUNITY CORPORATION (ICC). IRONBOUND BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT (IBID), NJ TREE FOUNDATION (NJTF), AND THE CITY OF NEWARK WILL PARTNER TO PLANT NATIVE SPECIES TREES THROUGHOUT THE IRONBOUND SECTION OF NEWARK, WHICH HAS THE LEAST AMOUNT OF TREE CANOPY IN THE CITY. THIS PROJECT WILL REDUCE URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT, MITIGATE FLOODING, AND IMPROVE AIR QUALITY, WHILE ENGAGING HUNDREDS OF RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES. ICC AND IBID WILL CONDUCT EXTENSIVE OUTREACH TO RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES TO SOLICIT INTEREST AND BUY-IN TO RECEIVE A NATIVE SPECIES TREE TO PLANT IN FRONT OF THEIR HOME OR BUSINESS. THE NJ TREE FOUNDATION WILL MANAGE THE PLANTING OF THE NATIVE SPECIES TREES AND OFFER NATIVE SPECIES TREE STEWARDSHIP WORKSHOPS TO RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES WHO SIGN UP FOR HAVING A NATIVE SPECIES TREE PLANTED IN AT THEIR HOME/BUSINESS AND ALSO OFFER WORKSHOPS TO THE COMMUNITY AT-LARGE. THE CITY OF NEWARK WILL HELP FACILITATE PERMITS AND OTHER SERVICES, WHILE TYING THE EFFORTS TO ITS LARGER SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY PLANS. ACTIVITIES:THE RECIPIENT WILL PERFORM THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES: 1. PLANTING NATIVE SPECIES TREES THROUGHOUT THE IRONBOUND SECTION OF NEWARK, (WHICH HAS THE LEAST AMOUNT OF TREE CANOPY IN THE CITY) AND 2. PROVIDE WORKSHOPS ON NATIVE SPECIES TREE CARE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF NATIVE SPECIES TREES IN MITIGATING THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE WILL BE GIVEN TO IRONBOUND RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES WHO SIGN UP FOR GETTING A NATIVE SPECIES TREE PLANTED IN FRONT OF THEIR HOME OR BUSINESS. OTHER ACTIVITIES INCLUDE THE FACILITATION OF PERMITS AND OTHER SERVICES, WHILE TYING THE EFFORTS TO ITS LARGER SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY PLANS. ALL TOLD THERE WILL BE AT LEAST 150 NATIVE SPECIES TREES PLANTED AND 150 RESIDENTS AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS ENGAGED THROUGHOUT THE IRONBOUND IN WORKSHOPS AND NATIVE SPECIES TREE PLANTINGS.SUBRECIPIENT:IRONBOUND COMMUNITY CORPORATION WILL ISSUE SUBAWARDS UNDER THIS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT. SUBAWARD ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE PROJECT COORDINATION, DEVELOPMENT OF INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS, OUTREACH ACTIVITIES. THE NJ TREE FOUNDATION WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PLANTING OF THE TREES, AS WELL AS TEACHING TREE STEWARDSHIP CLASSES TO RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS WHO SIGN UP FOR TREES, AS WELL AS TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. THE CITY OF NEWARK, THROUGH ITS SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE, WILL CONNECT THIS EFFORT TO THE CITY'S LARGER SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY EFFORTS AND PLANS, AS INCREASING TREE CANOPY WAS A GOAL IN BOTH ITS SUSTAINABILITY ACTION PLAN AND THE NORTHEAST NJ RESILIENCY ACTION PLAN. IT WILL ALSO PROVIDE A FRONT-END LOADER TO OFFLOAD TREES DURING THE PLANTINGS AND DISPOSING OF WASTE AFTER LITTER CLEANUPS, AND WILL ALLOW ACCESS TO CITY OWNED PROPERTY AND ISSUE PERMITS FOR TREE PLANTING AND CONCRETE REMOVAL. TOGETHER, THIS COLLABORATION WILL ENSURE SUCCESS OF THE PROJECT AND ALL PARTNERS WILL CONTINUE THEIR WORKING RELATIONSHIP TO BOTH MAINTAIN THESE TREES AND LOOK FOR ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO INCREASE TREE CANOPY. NJ TREE FOUNDATION AND CITY OF NEWARK PREPARE FOR ALL ROUNDS OF TREE PLANTING (OBTAINING PERMITS, CUTTING CONCRETE, ETC.), WHILE ICC AND IBID ASSIST NJTF WITH RECRUITING VOLUNTEERS IBID WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUTREACH TO BUSINESSES AND SUPPORTING MAINTENANCE OF THE TREES WITH THEIR WATERING TRUCK. OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE THE PLANTING OF AT LEAST 150 NATIVE SPECIES TREES IN THE IRONBOUND SECTION OF NEWARK, NJ., AT LEAST 150 RESIDENTS AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WILL BE EDUCATED ON PROPER NATIVE SPECIES TREE STEWARDSHIP AND WHILE ADDRESSING OTHER QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES, A LESSONS LEARNED DOCUMENT WILL BE CREATED AND MADE AVAILABLE FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES LOOKING TO ADDRESS URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT AND AN INCREASE CLIMATE RESILIENCY IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES ARE AN INCREASE IN NATIVE SPECIES TREE CANOPY IN THE IRONBOUND SECTION OF NEWARK, NJ, AN