Agenda - Council - 09/12/2023 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

DEPARTMENT OF 2023 NATURAL RESOURCES ReLeaf Community Forestry Grants • Complying with all Federal and State laws and regulations related to the completion of projects, as stated in the grant agreement. Additional Criteria Tree planting projects must follow standards set in A Pocket Guide to Planting Trees Tree inventory projects must submit obtained data to the DNR in a shapefile format Tree planting projects must identify tree species; site location; and number, size, and type of planting stock o Species list must increase the diversity of the community's tree canopy to work toward the 20-10-5 guidelines, meaning a community has no more than 20% of their trees within a single family, no more than 10% of their trees within a single genus, and no more than 5% of their trees within a single species. If your community does not have a completed tree survey, contact the DNR at ucf.dnr@state.mn.us to receive your community's 2010 tree survey. o Species list for trees to be planted needs to be submitted and approved by DNR prior to planting. o Species list and numbers can be amended following the submission of tree inventory/survey data. o Tree stock can be %-2 inch caliper bareroot or a container class size #20 or smaller. DNR recommends trees be purchased with a one-year warranty. Flexibility is possible in instances where desired stock in unavailable. o Balled and burlapped trees are not eligible for reimbursement through this grant program. Tree planting projects must include a 3-year maintenance plan Residential tree care: for activities on residential land, residential agreements will be required. Work conducted on residential property will either be completed by residents (tree planting only), or by tree care companies holding liability insurance and with an ISA Certified Arborist on staff, or TCIA accreditation. Organizations will need to sign a formal agreement with the property owner. Residential agreements will contain the following language: o The State of Minnesota is released from any liability associated with work completed on private property o Access is granted by the landowner for all planned activities within agreement; this may include but is not limited to: follow-up maintenance, monitoring, or other on -site work o I will plant and care for my tree according to the Tree Owner's Manual for as long as it is within my right to do so Any education provided through this program must be conducted by an ISA Certified Arborist, TCIA accreditation or equivalent qualification, or must qualify for ISA continuing education units. Priority Projects Ensuring fairness, precision, equity, and consistency in competitive grant awards is a policy of the State of Minnesota. This includes implementing diversity and inclusion in grant making. The Policy on Rating Criteria for Competitive Grant Review establishes the expectation that grant programs intentionally identify how the grant serves diverse populations, especially populations experiencing inequities or disparities, or both. Projects that clearly benefit underserved populations and areas of concern for environmental justice (communities with higher populations of low-income residents, or people of color, including tribal communities, or both) will be rated higher. Please reference the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's interactive environmental justice map for more information. Applicants should describe how the proposed project activities benefit and serve these communities. Page 4 of 9 July 2023