ALASKA — Urban forestry is critical for low-income areas, including those in Anchorage, Alaska, which will benefit substantially from a recent $2 million USDA Forest Service grant.  

The Inflation Reduction Act funding will be used to alleviate environmental inequities in Anchorage by combining restoration, environmental education, community involvement and workforce development measures.

To that end, the Anchorage Park Foundation is collaborating with local youngsters to improve the greenery of low-income communities by means of an inspirational and environmentally responsible program.

This tree-planting project not only improves the ecological aspects of these communities, but it also instills important ideals of environmental stewardship in the next generation.

A better forest contributes to a healthier society and environment because "trees reduce climate disruption, keep salmon streams cool, provide essential bird habitat, purify the air and increase property values," according to Michelle LeBeau of the Anchorage Park Foundation.

The project’s proposed five-year workplan enables youth career development and firsthand environmental education field studies, directly aiding marginalized communities. Its success could serve as a model for other Alaska towns to emulate, promoting sustainable development and increasing local participation in environmental management.

The funding will go toward restoration projects like planting trees in low-canopy areas near disadvantaged Northern Anchorage communities, stabilizing and revegetating stream banks for anadromous species, managing invasive species and replenishing regions affected by spruce bark beetle damage.

It supports Anchorage Park Foundation’s work with businesses, agencies and volunteers working to beat back invasive species that threaten forest health, including European Bird Cherry, orange hawkweed, bird vetch and white sweetclover.

The foundation relies on many partnerships, including Alien Species Control, Inc., Citizens Against Noxious Weeds Invading the North, the Municipality of Anchorage Parks and Recreation Department, the Alaska Division of Forestry, the Forest Service, and State, Private and Tribal Forestry.

The Biden Administration awarded more than $1 billion in grants nationally in early September as part of an effort to increase Americans’ access to trees and green space. Anchorage Park Foundation’s $2 million award is part of $5 million invested in four grants announced for Alaska.