City News Blog: City of Lakeland Awarded $50,000 Urban and Community Forestry Grant

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LAKELAND, FL (August 19, 2025) | The City of Lakeland has received a $50,000 Urban and Community Forestry – Hurricane Ian Recovery Grant from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, with support from the USDA Forest Service. This grant will fund vital urban tree maintenance in three key parks: Peterson Park, Fletcher Park, and Lake Parker Park.

The City of Lakeland is enhancing its urban parks tree maintenance efforts to aid community recovery from recent hurricanes and improve the resilience of Lakeland's urban tree canopy.

Currently:

• Lakeland manages 994 acres of active parkland and 196 acres of passive parkland.
• Proactive tree pruning and trimming are usually limited to emergencies due to staffing and funding shortages.

Grant Provisions:

• The City will partner with a qualified, licensed tree service contractor.
• This partnership will allow for much-needed maintenance on mature trees across selected parks, going beyond emergency-only pruning.

Project Goals:

• Improving storm resiliency by reducing the risk of branch and tree loss during severe weather
• Enhancing public safety for park users
• Reducing potential damage to property and infrastructure
• Promoting continued growth and conservation of Lakeland’s urban forest

“This grant gives us the opportunity to invest in proactive tree care that protects both our residents and our green spaces,” said Bob Donahay, Director of the City of Lakeland’s Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Arts Department. “Healthy trees are vital to the quality of life in Lakeland and to the long-term sustainability of our parks.”

This initiative is made possible through a grant from the USDA Forest Service in cooperation with the Florida Forest Service. Work is expected to begin later this year and will be performed in phases across the three parks.

 

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