The Philly Tree Plan, the city’s plan to plant more trees and expand its green urban canopy more equitably throughout its neighborhoods, just received a major budget boost, writes Meir Rinde for Billy Penn at WHYY.

The initiative is getting a $12 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The grant will represent a huge addition to the $2 million Philadelphia currently spends each year to implement its forestry roadmap.

The USDA grant “represents the largest investment in Philadelphia’s urban forest in almost 30 years,” said Erica Smith Fichman, community forestry manager for the Department of Parks and Recreation.

This award represents one of the largest grants made from the $1.1 billion package of USDA investments in urban forests throughout the nation.

The city released its 10-year Philly Tree Plan in February, following a lengthy community engagement process that involved over 9,000 residents.

The plan includes dozens of recommendations for where the trees should be planted and how they should be maintained.

The aim is to reverse a trend of tree loss and ensure tree coverage is more equitable.

Discover the full scope of Philadelphia’s green transformation and how this monumental grant is set to reshape the city’s urban landscape on Billy Penn at WHYY.

More about the Philly Tree Plan.