Trees Forever works to empower volunteers to plant trees in their communities where they live, work and play. Volunteers complete and maintain locally-led tree planting projects that add age and species diversity to existing community forests. In the wake of a natural disaster, Trees Forever works with communities to replant.
The trees in these communities will improve air quality, water quality, act as a natural sunscreen, provide homes for wildlife, and much more. We meet these needs through Alliant Energy’s One Million Trees Community Tree Planting Program, Illinois Community Canopy, Black Hills Energy Power of Trees Program, Granting a Better Tomorrow, and Illinois Community Forestry programs.
Alliant Energy’s Community Tree Planting Program
Grants up to $5,000 (per community) for community based tree planting projects in Iowa and Wisconsin communities where Alliant Energy provides electric and/or natural gas service.
Black Hills Energy Power of Trees Program
Grants of up to $5,000 per project for community based tree planting projects in Iowa communities that are served by Black Hills Energy.
Illinois Community Canopy Grant Programs
Funding through the Inflation Reduction Act for Illinois communities to plant, conduct tree inventories, and conduct tree removals to create more resilient community canopies.
Granting a Better Tomorrow
Grants of $100 to $1500 are available to youth-focused or youth-led projects in both Iowa and Illinois that seek to add more green to our communities through tree plantings.
Illinois Community Forestry
Grants of $500 to $3,000 are available to Illinois communities diversifying their community forests or recovering from natural or man-made disasters particularly emerald ash borer (EAB).
ReLeaf Cedar Rapids Program
Trees Forever is working alongside the City of Cedar Rapids to replant the tree canopy lost to the August 2020 derecho. Current estimates show close to 65% of the city’s canopy was destroyed by the 100+ mph straight-line winds.
“At the end of the day, there’s nothing more peaceful than sitting on the porch, listening to the owls hoot off in the distance, seeing the deer frolic at the edge of the woods, hearing the sounds of the pheasants and quail out in the prairie, and watching the butterflies fluttering from flower to flower before dark.”
Walter Clark, Normal, IL – participant in the Illinois Buffer Partnership