MILWAUKEE — In April, Milwaukee was awarded a $12 million urban forestry grant through the federal Inflation Reduction Act. The city is using the money to provide more green jobs and plant trees in parts of the city that have don’t have a lot.
Roth Doyle is part of Milwaukee’s Urban Forestry Arborist Apprenticeship Program, which offers paid, on-the-job training on how to trim and take care of trees in the city.
Doyle and other apprentices have been busy pruning trees around the city. They will be planting new ones in neighborhoods throughout the city.
“There’s a lot of climate change gases like carbon dioxide, and we get to reduce those by putting them back in the soil,” said Doyle. “We get to provide a lot of shade and habitat for wildlife. It just creates more of a healthy environment for residents.”
Randy Krouse is Milwaukee’s Urban Forestry Services manager. He explained that in addition to planting new trees, the federal funding is allowing them to add workers to the team, remove more stumps and dead trees, and better maintain the trees that are growing citywide.
“It’s important that we not only plant these trees, but we maintain them all the way through maturity because we want them to be resilient, especially in the face of severe storms and climate change,” said Krouse.
Doyle said he is thankful for the opportunity to help make Milwaukee’s underserved neighborhoods greener for years to come.
“The trees will reduce our electric bill and climate change gases. In 50 years, people will have homes that will feel like they do in wealthier neighborhoods,” said Doyle.
Helping cultivate plant growth in this city, while growing in his chosen career, Doyle said his goal is to ensure equitable tree cover in Milwaukee.
Milwaukee isn’t the only area working to improve tree cover.
Dane County also received $1.5 million for its Equitable Forestry Stabilization Management and Forestry Career Pathways Program. That money will allow Dane County to add more trees and maintenance in disadvantaged areas.