BALTIMORE, MD—The Maryland Department of Transportation is accepting applications for the sixth round of grants to help the state reach its goal of planting five million trees by 2031 (PDF).

The grants, up to $5,000 per project, are available to nonprofits, schools, local businesses, and youth and civic groups to help enhance urban areas impacted by transportation projects, the state said in a news release.

The state hopes the grants will help create cooler, greener spaces in cities, help lower temperatures in pavement-prone areas, and reduce the heat island effect, where urban areas absorb heat during the day and re-emit it at night.

“The Maryland Department of Transportation is a proud leader in supporting the state’s climate goals and the Urban Tree Grant Program is one of many actions we are taking to help reach them,” said Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld in a statement. “Native trees planted with funds from this program will grow to provide shade in cities across the state and cool temperatures in pavement prone areas.”

Since the program’s launch in 2022, about 2,000 trees have been planted in more than 40 communities, the state said.

Trees have been registered with the state’s “Register Your Tree” tool, and the state encourages residents to register any trees they plant with the tool to help the state reach its goal.

This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.

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