The Highlands Ranch Metro District has received a $6,000 grant from the XCEL Energy Foundation/Colorado Tree Coalition grant program. The grant will assist in funding the Metro District’s 2013 tree replacement program. The money will be used to plant 20 mixed deciduous and coniferous trees to replace aging or diseased trees along Highlands Ranch Parkway and in several parks throughout the community. A portion of the grant will fund the Metro District’s Arbor Day planting at Northridge Park in April.
“The Highlands Ranch Metro District is grateful to share in this partnership with the Colorado Tree Coalition and Xcel Energy,” said Metro District Forestry Supervisor Dennis Donovan. “Their generous contribution of $6,000 will support the enhancement of the Highlands Ranch urban forest for years to come.”
The Metro District’s tree care program is responsible for 15,000 trees in 23 irrigated parks and 285 acres of parkway landscape. Its forestry program strives to reduce tree mortality, and has adopted an in-house only tree replacement policy. The staff of foresters carefully analyzes both site and species selection ensuring the right tree is planted in the proper location. To date, 20 trees have been identified for removal and this grant will allow replacement trees to be planted in their place.
Thanks to ongoing financial and administrative support from the USDA Forest Service and the Colorado State Forest Service, dues-paying members, and financial partners, the Colorado Tree Coalition has awarded 454 grants totaling more than $696,000. These grants have been matched with more than $7.6 million in community money and/or time. As a result, more than 68,600 trees have been planted throughout the state.
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