The Washington Tree Committee was able to replant in areas that were affected by the 2020 derecho storm this fall thanks to a state grant.

The Iowa Legislature appropriated $250,000 of state infrastructure funds to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources for the Derecho Community Forestry Grant Program. This program awarded funds for 66 projects across the 27 counties included in the Governor’s Derecho Disaster Proclamation. Grant applicants were required to provide a dollar-for-dollar cash match for purchase of trees and materials from Iowa businesses.

Washington Tree Committee Chair Marde McConnell says they provided an approximate $9,000 match to receive the maximum award of $5,000. In collaboration with Washington Parks Superintendent Nick Pacha and Elm Grove Cemetery Sexton Nick Duvall the committee planted trees at the cemetery and at the Central, Sunset, and Wellness city parks. McConnell says this was a fulfilling project not just for her but for agriculturally-minded high school students and other volunteers with a vested interest in these parks, “I mean it’s rewarding for me personally but what is so exciting is seeing high school kids or these baseball and softball parents and kids or new volunteers have that sense of, ‘I planted this tree!’ And that will always be sort of their tree.”

The DNR states an estimated 2,524 trees were planted on public lands in 46 derecho-impacted communities from the grant program. The Washington Tree Committee meets on the first Tuesday of every month at 5:30 p.m. in the city hall conference room. For more information on their projects, visit here.