Official Site of The State of New Jersey

Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette announced the award of the Leafing Out grants during the NJDEP Forest Service’s Arbor Day tree planting and Earth Week event in Camden, held in partnership with the New Jersey Tree Foundation. Ten communities, including Camden, each received $850,000 for tree management programs, while another 12 received a combined total of $150,000 for municipal employees and engaged community volunteers to attend urban and community forestry-related training events.

Through a Leafing Out Grant, your municipality can improve its resilience to climate change, combat urban heat island effects, increase resiliency to pests and storm events, and more. These 4-year grants are all about giving you the tools you need to work with us to start, plan, and advance a strong, self-sustainable forestry program for your municipality that will enhance the quality of life for your citizens and all New Jerseyans. Applications are not being accepted at this time.

Leafing Out Grant - Management
Request for Proposals
Tree Maintenance and Removal Plan Guidelines
Tree Planting and Establishment Plan Guidelines

Leafing Out Grant - Education
Request for Proposals

Additional Information
List of eligible municipalities

These grants are made possible by USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry funding through the Inflation Reduction Act.

A management plan for trees and forests is an essential guide to successfully achieving a healthy, safe, and sustainable urban forest. It can lead to increased community safety, lower tree risk, decreased tree maintenance and removal costs, less emergency tree calls, increased environmental and socioeconomic benefits, reduced municipal costs and increase[d] funding for forestry. Proper planning helps municipalities and counties develop a proactive vs. reactive approach to tree and forest management. Proactive management encourages communities to collect and use data to prioritize limited financial resources by optimizing actions to meet defined goals and objectives.

Communities that need assistance in creating their first management plan for trees and forests are currently eligible for the Green Communities grant’($3,000 +100% match to hire a professional to develop your local stewardship plan for trees and forests).

Green Communities Grant Application

Pursuant to the New Jersey Shade Tree and Community Forestry Assistance Act, N.J.S.A.13:1L-17.4(c), one purpose of the New Jersey Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry program (NJUCF) is to provide financial assistance to local governments and shade tree commissions to assist in the implementation of an approved management plan for trees and forests to the extent funds are available.

The NJUCF Stewardship Grant was established to provide this financial assistance. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis to encourage projects that strongly link the use of best management practices to achieve urban and community forestry management goals defined in the local management plan for trees and forests.

Reforestation, Tree Planting, and Maintenance Plan Requirements
These requirements are to be followed for the development and implementation of a tree planting and maintenance plan in conjunction with a NJ Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program (NJUCF) Stewardship Grant proposal and award.