DOVER, Del. (May 19, 2023) – The Delaware Tree Stewards, housed under the Delaware Forest Service’s Urban and Community Program, is offering a four-session training, geared toward participants living in both New Castle County and Sussex County, Delaware. Participants will be equipped with skills to be able to work with neighbors, organizations and local public agencies within their own communities to organize and lead tree planting projects, assess new potential tree planting sites, care for existing tree canopy and access a variety of technical and financial resources to support their endeavors. This training will be provided by Craig Highfield, Forests Program Director for the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, and Heather Titanich, Community Forester for the Delaware Center for Horticulture. The training covers topics including:

 

• Tree biology & health
  Discussion of anatomy and physiology of trees and how they interact with soil. This session provides the foundation to understanding how trees grow and react to challenges of urban and suburban planting sites.

• Site assessment & tree selection
  Right Tree for the Right Space. This session will go over the steps to properly assess the growing conditions of a planting site and tools to help you select the trees that will grow best at that site.
• Proper planting techniques
  Planting a tree properly and providing tree maintenance is essential for a successful project. Various planting techniques will be covered to address the challenges of urban sites and the care needed in order to help the new trees be established.

• Maintenance & tree care

• Organizing community plantings events
  Discuss how to bring together your site assessment, tree selection, planting requirements and other logistical elements into a comprehensive plan.

Throughout the year, the Delaware Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry program offers a four-part training and certification program that joins together a group of passionate volunteers from across the state, as they cover tree science, tree care techniques, and project development. The dates and times of each session are as follows:

Sessions with Craig Highfield, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay

• June 5 | 7:00-8:30 P.M.
• June 7 | 7:00-8:30 P.M.
• June 12 | 7:00-8:30 P.M.
• June 14 | 7:00-8:30 P.M.

All four sessions will be held virtually. Register here: allianceforthebay.org/TreeStewards

 

Sessions with Heather Titanich, Delaware Center for Horticulture

• June 8 | 6:00-8:00 P.M.
• June 13 | 6:00-8:00 P.M.
• June 20 | 6:00-8:00 P.M.

All three sessions will be held at 1810 N Dupont St, Wilmington DE 19806, DCH Founder’s Room. Register here: https://thedch.org/events/?eid=14135

Tree Stewards Volunteer Event

• June 25 | 10:00 A.M.-12:00 P.M. – Banning Regional Park, 102 Middleboro Rd, Wilmington DE 19804

 

Delaware Forest Service Urban Forestry Coordinator Kesha Braunskill remarked, “Delaware Forest Service is happy to have our partners assist with providing such an important program to citizens in Delaware who are interested in learning how to keep our community trees healthy. We hope that more people will take an interest in becoming certified Delaware Tree Stewards so that we can continue to grow Delaware’s tree canopy.”

Launched in Fall 2020, the Delaware Tree Stewardship program connects Delawareans to their landscapes through the acts of planting and caring for trees. Delaware Tree Stewards is an excellent opportunity to connect with experts and learners alike. By completing training and networking with other stewards, graduates will be able to recognize opportunities and coordinate tree projects where they are needed most. Visit de.gov/treestewards to find out how you can get involved!

 

About the Delaware Center for Horticulture
The Delaware Center for Horticulture cultivates greener communities by inspiring appreciation and improvement of the environment through horticulture, education and conservation. Founded in 1977, the Center’s headquarters in Wilmington’s Trolley Square is an oasis in the city. As DCH’s Community Forester, Heather Titanich works to sustain a safe and equitable tree canopy across Wilmington. This involves coordinating tree plantings, securing sources of funding for tree care, and educating the public about the importance of trees in the built environment by leading DCH’s Neighborhood Tree Steward program. Heather has a background in public horticulture, working to connect people with plants, and promote the diversity of native species. Heather holds a B.S. in Forest Resource and Environmental Conservation from Virginia Tech. She is also an ISA Certified Arborist and has obtained Tree Risk Assessment Qualification.

About the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
The mission of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay is to pursue innovative strategies and collaborations that improve the health of the region’s forests, create new forests in places important to water quality and promote the benefits of forests and resource management to private landowners, decision-makers and the general population of the six-state bay watershed. Craig Highfield is the Forests Program Director for the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay. Craig leads the forest team that is situated in the Alliance’s state offices in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania. Craig received a M.S. in Environmental Science from Johns Hopkins University and is an ISA Certified Arborist.

About Delaware Forest Service
The mission of the Delaware Department of Agriculture’s Delaware Forest Service (DFS) is to conserve, protect, and enhance Delaware forests and their resources for the public through education, management, demonstration, promotion, and providing technical services in a timely and efficient manner. DFS provides a wide range of services to help Delawareans manage and improve their forest resources. These services are divided into three categories: conservation, protection, and education. For more information, visit the website agriculture.delaware.gov/forest-service/ and connect with DFS on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Governor Carney puts toil into his Tree for Every Delawarean Initiative during a tree planting event at Fork Branch Nature Preserve in Kent County. DNREC Photo.

 

Tree For Every Delawarean Initiative Announces Conservation Partnership’s Latest Award Recipients

Five projects will receive a combined $60,000 in grant funding for tree plantings as part of Delaware’s Tree For Every Delawarean Initiative (TEDI), the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and initiative partners announced today.

TEDI works with Delaware conservation partners including DNREC and the Department of Agriculture’s Delaware Forest Service to enhance and support tree planting projects throughout the state, with the goal of planting 1 million trees by 2030. To date, over 72,000 trees have been planted with funds allocated through TEDI. Combined with funding from other sources, a total of 120,000 trees have been planted since January 2020. The latest projects will add almost 8,000 trees to this total and are to be completed this fall and next spring.

The funded tree planting projects were selected from among 13 applications cumulatively seeking more than $250,000 in requests received during the latest funding round for TEDI.

Project recipients, their TEDI grant awards, and project locations include:

• Delaware State Parks ($10,000) for tree plantings at Brandywine Creek and Delaware Seashore state parks
• Delaware Botanic Gardens in Dagsboro ($17,500)
• The Nature Conservancy ($10,000 ) for planting at the Bullseye-Ferry Landing Preserve near Millsboro
• Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve ($5,000) for planting at Blackbird Landing in Townsend
• Siegel Jewish Community Center in Wilmington ($17,500)

TEDI is a partnership between the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy and the Delaware Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry Program. TEDI provides technical assistance, resources to communities and financial support through grant awards.

Additional funding opportunities, as well as a list of nurseries that carry native trees, tips on tree care and a tree tracker can be found by visiting de.gov/tedi. Members of the public are encouraged to add newly-planted trees into the tracker in helping to support TEDI in reaching its million-tree goal.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy uses science, education, policy development and incentives to address Delaware’s climate, energy and coastal challenges. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Jim Lee, JamesW.Lee@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

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Dozens of tree care professionals volunteered at the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Millsboro for the 7th Annual “Saluting Branches: Arborist United for Veteran Remembrance” event.

MILLSBORO, Del. — Dozens of arborists and professionals from three Delaware tree care companies volunteered for the 7th Annual “Saluting Branches” event by devoting a day to trimming, shaping, and removing hazardous trees from the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Millsboro. The Delaware site was one of 40 sites throughout the United States that participated in the event, which attracted more than 3,000 volunteers. Workers from Tri-State Tree Care, Complete Tree Care, and Cypress Tree Care spent their entire day as a way to pay tribute to the veterans and their service.

Jay Ashby, who runs Cypress Tree Care and also serves as Chair of Delaware’s Community Forestry Council, called it a “Great day of service for our resting veterans.”

Joe Shoup from Cypress Tree Care was glad to be back after participating in 2019 but having last year’s event canceled because of COVID-19.

“There was a lot of hazard work. They had a lot of dead wood and a lot of dead trees that needed to be taken down. That first year we were able to get a big chunk of work done and as such the trees looked a lot nicer but they were also a lot safer,” Shoup said. “This year… we’re able to do a lot of reduction pruning on these older, more mature oak trees… If we can get here for the next two, three years in a row, we should have this place up to snuff and there shouldn’t be any more hazards left.”

Frank Silva, Jr., who serves as the grounds foreman for  Delaware’s Office of Veterans Services, is extremely grateful for the professional expertise and dedication that the workers provide.

“These huge old oaks that are several hundred years old, they’re too large for us to take care of. We don’t have the equipment or the manpower to take care of that and we’re not professional arborists,” Silva said.

“It’s very important to us to keep the place looking pretty good as you can see,” he continued. “It’s a place of honor and respect. We’re all veterans… everyone who works for this commission is a veteran, so it’s an important job to us. And all the work that they do really helps out.”

Silva estimated that almost 6,000 Delaware veterans and spouses are currently interred at the cemetery, which is why it’s so important they and their families continue to have a well-maintained place of honor and respect when they are laid to rest. The Millsboro veterans cemetery covers about 65 acres, of which about 25 acres is currently in use for burials and interments. The site is expected to grow in the years ahead to accommodate future applications.

 

The urban forestry grant program has provided $1.79 million for 577 grants and planted over 14,000 trees. In 2020, the Delaware Forest Service provided more than $65,000 for 17 tree projects in the First State. 

de.gov/treegrantdashboard

 

DOVER, Del. — Delaware’s Urban and Community Forestry Program is once again offering competitive matching grants up to $5,000 for tree planting or tree management projects on public land. The grants – open to municipalities, homeowner associations, and certified 501(c)(3) non-profits in the State of Delaware – require a 50-50 match in either cash (non-federal funds) or in-kind services, including volunteer or staff time, equipment rental, or supplies. Requests can range from $500 to a maximum of $5,000 in one of two project categories: tree planting or tree management (i.e., professional tree inventory, hazardous tree removal, or pruning).

This year’s application deadline is Friday, March 5, 2021 at 4:30 p.m.

Applications will be judged on a competitive basis by a grant committee of the Delaware Community Forestry Council. Eligible projects must be performed on public lands within the community. Priority will be given to first time applicants, Tree Friendly Communities, and applicants that have passed an Urban Tree Canopy Goal Resolution (only applies to Municipalities). Complete details at delawaretrees.com.

“Our annual community grants are focused on increasing tree canopy in Delaware by promoting quality tree planting and management projects,” said Kesha Braunskill, Urban and Community Forestry Program Director. “These projects can be the basis for sustainable urban and community forestry programs throughout the First State. Everyone can enjoy the numerous benefits that trees have to offer: air and water quality improvement, increased property values, and natural beauty.”

• All applicants are REQUIRED to schedule an on-site visit by U&CF program staff, who can review their project and answer any questions.
• Site visits must be requested no later than February 19 and all visits completed by February 26.
• All applicants MUST use the ONLINE form (see link below) to submit their forms and attach all of the necessary documentation (plan, bids, estimates, etc.). Applicants should be prepared to complete the form in one sitting: there is no way to ensure your information will be saved and returned to later.

2021 Guidelines and Forms

• 2021 Grant Requirements and Guidelines (PDF) (Word)
• 2021 Volunteer Tracker Form (Excel)
• Link to 2021 Urban Grant Online Application

Resource Links

• Recommended Trees web page
• Recommended Trees for Delaware (PDF)

Core Requirements

• Grant requests from a minimum of $500 to maximum of $5,000
• Grants must be matched with cash (non-federal funds) or in-kind services such as volunteer hours
• One project in one category: planting or management (professional inventory, pruning, or hazardous tree removal)
• Project must take place on public land or community open space
• Applicants must have an Employer Identification Number (EIN) – no payment made to individuals.
• All applicants must schedule a site visit before submitting project (contact emails below)

Urban Forestry Program Contacts

• Urban and Community Program Director Kesha Braunskill  kesha.braunskill@delaware.gov
• Urban and Community Forester Taryn Davidson  taryn.davidson@delaware.gov

Tree Grant Dashboard

The Urban and Community Forestry Tree Grant Dashboard page provides a visual overview of the history of Delaware’s tree grants. Since its inception, the grant program has awarded 577 grants totaling more than $1.79 million—resulting in the planting of more than 14,000 trees. Details includes the locations and dates of specific grant projects by county, legislative map, or school district.  http://de.gov/treegrantdashboard.

The comprehensive database can list charts of the grants by year, county, and legislative district. The map to the right of the dashboard also allows viewers to zoom in to various parts of the state and then view specific projects by clicking on the blue dot.

As part of its mission, several informative publications, resources, and links are available to help with proper planning and developing effective strategies for tree planting, care, and management.

• Delaware Municipal Tree Canopy Maps
• Online GIS Tree Canopy Tool 
• Tree Owners’ Manual
• Trees and Ice Storms

Email: Kesha Braunskill

Delaware’s Urban and Community Grant Program awarded over $31,000 for nine community tree projects.

 

Contact: Kesha Braunskill
Urban and Community Forestry Program
kesha.braunskill@delaware.gov 

DOVER, Del. – The Delaware Forest Service’s Urban and Community Grant Program has awarded more than $31,000 to fund nine community tree projects in all three counties. The program offers up to $5,000 in annual competitive matching grants for projects on public land and community open space, and grants are available to all municipalities, homeowner associations, and nonprofit organizations in the First State. Successful applications were approved by a committee of the Delaware Community Forestry Council. Since the grant program began, Delaware’s urban and community forestry program has given over 575 grants totaling more than $1.75 million and planted more than 13,000 trees.

Community	City	County	Award
Pencader Cemetery	Glasgow	New Castle	$5,000
Riverview, Wilmington, Brandywine, & Old Swedes Cemeteries	Wilmington	New Castle	$2,500
Westover Hills Section C	Wilmington	New Castle	$900
Champions Club at Jonathans Landing	Magnolia	Kent	$5,000
Elizabeth W. Murphey School	Dover	Kent	$3,810
Villages at Five Points	Lewes	Sussex	$5,000
Milford Riverwalk	Milford	Sussex	$2,109
Forest Landing	Frankford	Sussex	$1,739
		Total	$31,058