Eau Claire Receives Grant Funding for Low Income Tree Services

The City of Eau Claire has received federal grant funding to assist low income residents with the removal and replacement of dying trees.

The $486,000 urban forestry grant was provided through the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and mainly targets the Northside Hill neighborhood and area around Carson Park and Half Moon Lake. Officials are still working to determine exactly what areas will be eligible to receive funding through the program.

Residents who qualify for the grant funding will be able to receive reimbursement and assistance in cutting down dead or dying trees as well as planting new ones. Tree removal can be particularly expensive, but weakened trees can collapse and cause damage to homes or infrastructure so removing them is crucial.

Ash trees pose an especially large threat due to the spread of the invasive emerald ash borer. Department of Natural Resources officials expect that the invasive beetles will eventually kill over 99% of the white, black and green ash trees across the state. Earlier this year, the last uninfected counties in Wisconsin suffered their first infestations of the troublesome beetles.

The ash trees are among those that the grant funding could be used to cut down. The City of Eau Claire has also been working to remove ash trees from public properties like the ones that line the streets. The city will pay for the removal of trees on boulevards around the eligible grant funding areas.

According to a WQOW report, city officials are in the process of choosing a consultant to handle the tree removal projects. They expect to begin taking applications from eligible residents early next year.