By Rep. Peter Edgecomb(R-Caribou)
The Maine Forest Service anticipates that $100,000 will be available from the USDA Forest Service to support community forestry projects in 2009. Project Canopy has three grant categories for applicants to choose from: planning and education grants; tree planting and maintenance grants; and inner city improvement grants. Project Canopy grants are competitive and require a 50 percent match from the grant recipient in cash or in-kind services. The Caribou Rotary Club has voted to sponsor 75 of the 150 trees that Caribou’s 150th celebration committee has proposed to plant in honor of Caribou’s sesquicentennial celebration. This program would be a good opportunity for Caribou to bolster their community beautification effort.
To be eligible to apply for 2009 Project Canopy Assistance grants, all applicants must attend a grant workshop prior to submitting an application. Grant workshops are scheduled for the first and second weeks of February. They will be held in various locations throughout the state and will cover topics including grant writing, project development, sustainable community forestry management, and grant administration.
Applications must be submitted to the Maine Forest Service by 5 p.m., April 10th. To learn more about the Project Canopy Assistance program and to sign up for a grant workshop, contact Project Canopy at 207-287-4987. More information is available on the Web at http://projectcanopy.maine.gov.
Please feel free to contact me: at home, 132 Baird Road, Caribou ME 04736; by home phone, 496-3188; at the legislature, 287-1440; or via e-mail, pedgecom@maine.rr.com.
