The city had been awarded a 2022 Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Urban Canopy Restoration Grant to purchase and plant 100 trees in locations throughout Tawawa Park and Graceland Cemetery. ODNR will be funding $25,000 with the required cash match of $25,000 coming from corporate donations from the following: 1.) Cargill, 2.) Kiwanis, 3.) Rotary, 4.) Buckeye Ford, 5.) Ferguson Construction, 6.) KLINGLER Thermoseal, 7) S&S Hospitality, 8.) Wilson Health, 9.) Mutual Federal, 10.) Minster Bank, 11.) Culvers and 12.) Emerson.
Over 70 applications were received for funding for the available grant dollars. Approximately 20 communities were awarded funding for projects.
Ohio communities have faced a significant decrease in urban tree canopy from invasive insects and disease, extreme weather events, and development pressures. At the height of Ohio’s Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) infestation, Ohio lost more than 10,000 acres of urban tree canopy each year; Sidney alone has lost over 1,100 trees.
To avoid such future catastrophic loss due to one disease or insect a variety of trees have been selected to be planted.
Thank you to our corporate donors for their financial support!