Ohio grant will give Toledo cemetery 150 trees

7/26/2001

The city of Toledo plans to add 150 trees to Forest Cemetery with a $15,000 state grant awarded this week as part of the Bicentennial Legacy Tree Planting program.

"We will try to re-establish tree cover in a large, historic portion of the cemetery," said Robert Casaletta, commissioner of parks, forestry, and open space planning. "We're very happy with the grant."

The state's tree planting program, which was initiated in 1999 by Governor Taft, will award more than $354,000 in grants to 33 Ohio communities.

The program aims to plant two million trees before the state's 200th anniversary in 2003. Nearly 1.2 million trees have been planted since the start of the campaign, officials said.

Grants are funded by money from air pollution fines collected by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, and communities provide a 50 percent funding match.

Lima also received $15,000, which it will use to plant trees along Brower Road. The road was recently widened and given new curbs and sidewalks.

"We're really excited," said Kathey Roberts, Lima's director of parks and recreation.

Also receiving grants are:

Sandusky in Erie County, $11,000.

Fremont in Sandusky County, $7,079.

Waterville in Lucas County, $2,500.

Lindsey in Sandusky County, $2,000.