City of Louisville receiving $12 million from federal grant to improve tree canopy

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The city of Louisville will receive $12 million over the next five years to improve its tree canopy.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the grant from the USDA Forest Service last week, according to a news release Wednesday. The funding will go to the Equitable Forest Initiative, which is led by the Division of Urban Forestry. The initiative focuses on equitable urban canopy for underserved communities to limit future effects of the urban heat island.

According to a news release, the grant funding will allow the city to develop a public tree inventory and management plan, tree planting and maintenance in underserved communities.

"We are so thrilled the USDA team chose Louisville for this major investment," Mayor Craig Greenberg said in a news release. "Louisville is committed to equitably achieving net zero emissions community-wide by 2040. Transformational changes to our urban tree canopy, especially in underserved communities, will go a long way in helping us reach that important goal."