BILLINGS, Mont. - A new initiative in Billings is transforming urban areas by planting and maintaining trees. This effort, known as the Urban Forestry Initiative, is focusing on areas with significant concrete and paved surfaces.
The project kicked off with the planting of the first three trees outside the 1889 Brewing Company in the EBURD District. This is part of a broader effort to enhance areas like South Billings and Midtown.
"This is definitely a part of town that you can tell, could use some greening up, so that definitely is within the parameters of this grant," said Gayle Lam, an Urban Forestry Grant Technician. "This is a heat island, and that's what this is all about is just trying to put trees in areas and make our community look a lot nicer and feel better for people too."
The initiative is funded by a $1 million grant from the Forest Service and the Inflation Reduction Act. The funds will be used to plant new trees on streets with high foot traffic and to remove unsafe and unhealthy trees. The initiative also includes maintaining current foliage through pruning.
Matt and Lindsey Miller, owners of 1889 Brewing Company, expressed excitement about the project. "We were planning on planting trees anyway; we definitely wanted them for the shade and just the green space. We got in touch with Gayle with Parks and Rec, and she just ran with it. To be involved with this grant and this project and just be the beginning of it, it just worked out perfectly," they said.
The Billings Parks and Recreation Forestry Division plans to maintain the new trees for the next few years. After three years, property owners will take over the care of the trees. The division is also looking to engage the community by recruiting local volunteers for tree planting and care, with the inaugural three trees planted by 'Good Earth Works.'
Currently, Billings is home to over 10,000 trees, and this initiative aims to plant hundreds more in the next year.
Those interested in participating can contact Gayle Lam for more information about the application process.
Through her email: [email protected] or by phone at (406)-869-3942
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