Published on Friday, April 25, 2025
PROVIDENCE, RI – Governor Dan McKee and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) Division of Agriculture and Forest Environment (DAFE) today joined Senator Jack Reed, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, East Providence Mayor Bob DaSilva, Technical Director John Campanini of the RI Tree Council, and students and teachers from the Providence Country Day School to celebrate the 128th Arbor Day in Rhode Island. The event included a formal announcement of the Urban and Community Forestry (UCF) Program and Tree Equity RI program grant recipients. Urban and community forests are an important part of urban infrastructure that are essential for climate resilience. Trees reduce urban heat, mitigate flooding, improve air quality, provide critical wildlife habitat, and so much more.
“Trees are critical urban infrastructure that are essential to public health and well-being,” said Governor Dan McKee. “Supported by federal funding, Rhode Island continues to prioritize communities that most need improved access to the environmental, economic, social, and health benefits that healthy trees and forests provide.”
“Healthy trees and forests are essential for growing healthy neighborhoods and communities,” said Senator Reed. “Planting new trees and growing our green infrastructure helps reduce pollution and increase shade while creating a host of economic, environmental, and health benefits for communities across the state.”
“This Arbor Day, we are celebrating progress toward making our cities healthier and more attractive places to live,” said Senator Whitehouse. “Urban tree cover investments, which have been targeted by the Trump Administration, bring cleaner air, summer shade, and more flood-resilient neighborhoods.”
“DEM continues to support Rhode Island’s cities, towns, and nonprofits as they build and strengthen their urban forest programs,” said DEM Director Terry Gray. “Expanding tree cover to our urban areas not only beautifies our neighborhoods and improves air quality, but also provides vital shade, helps cool neighborhoods, and plays a key role in mitigating stormwater and flooding. DEM’s new tree donation program allows people to provide funding support for a tree to be planted in certain state parks. This is a great way to provide a lasting tribute to a loved one or an important event.”
The UCF Grant Program offers cost match grants to municipalities and nonprofits for projects that support effective and efficient management of urban and community forests. Funding for the program is provided by the USDA Forest Service. This round’s UCF Grant Program recipients include:
The Tree Equity RI Grant Program is a newly launched initiative funded by the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). It provides funding for tree planting projects that aim to expand tree canopy in communities that need it most. Grant recipients use the Tree Equity Score Analyzer, a mapping tool created by American Forests, to guide the development of their project proposals. This tool helps measure how effectively tree benefits are reaching environmental justice communities. This round’s Tree Equity RI Grant recipients include:
- Newport Tree Conservancy: ($50,000) to support its Increasing Tree Canopy and Tree Stewardship in Newport program. Focused on the city’s North End, the project expands community-based efforts to plant and care for trees, engage underserved residents, and address urban heat, climate change, and environmental hazards through education and outreach.
- Providence Neighborhood Planting Program: ($50,000) to support their Data-Driven and Equity-Focused Tree Planting in Providence Schoolyards project, which will conduct community tree plantings at and around K-8 schools located in low-canopy Providence neighborhoods with low tree equity scores.
Arbor Day is a wonderful time to honor someone special, commemorate a meaningful occasion or simply give back to the environment by donating a tree to one of Rhode Island’s State Parks through DEM’s Donation Tree Program. Each tree becomes a lasting tribute while supporting the health of our beautiful parks. Trees are planted twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall. Donors can choose from three beautiful locations: Colt State Park in Bristol, Goddard Memorial State Park in Warwick, and Fort Adams State Park in Newport. To learn more or donate a tree, please visit: riparks.ri.gov/donation-tree.
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