MADISON, Wisconsin (April 28, 2023) – Clear Lake, Grinnell and Platteville are set to benefit from Alliant Energy's tree planting program. They are among 66 communities in Iowa and Wisconsin (see full list below) that will receive funds from a program developed in partnership with Trees Forever. Grants are designated for communities to plant a diverse mix of trees to aid energy efficiency as well as replace trees destroyed by the emerald ash borer.
The grants, which total $247,870, will help communities plant trees in places like local parks, schools, libraries, community buildings and streets. Trees provide more shade and cool the air, helping lower overall energy costs. A diverse tree population also helps build resiliency against tree diseases to create a healthier ecosystem.
"Alliant Energy is proud to support the planting of diverse trees across Wisconsin and Iowa, providing not only energy cost-savings, but also building a healthier ecosystem,” said Julie Bauer, Executive Director of the Alliant Energy Foundation. “The grants we’ve developed with our community partners will help local communities achieve tree restoration goals and provide benefits for generations to come.”
In addition to the funds, communities also receive educational and tree-planning support from Trees Forever. A tree expert helps communities select the best species for their area and create a care and maintenance plan to make sure the new trees have long and healthy lives.
“This is a remarkable partnership that fulfills so many of the core tenets of both Trees Forever and Alliant Energy,” says Kiley Miller, President and CEO of Trees Forever. “Trees Forever specializes in empowering people and communities to become involved in the work of conservation. These projects are community led and accomplished with local volunteers. With some expert guidance, individuals are making a positive difference in their home towns with a greener, more energy efficient future.”
The Community Tree Planting Program is part of Alliant Energy’s One Million Trees initiative, which aims to plant one million trees by the end of 2030. In collaboration with organizations focusing on public forest restoration and preservation, urban forestry and non-profit partners, the initiative is dedicated to tree planting efforts in communities and rural areas across Iowa and Wisconsin.
Trees Forever administrates and facilitates tree planting programs. Alliant Energy has been working with Trees Forever in Iowa since 1990 and began working in Wisconsin in 2022. Together, they have planted over 1.1 million trees and provided $7.9 million in grants.
Several communities have planted or are planting trees this spring; others will plant in the fall. To learn more about the One Million Trees Community Tree Planting program, visit alliantenergy.com/onemilliontrees.
| ORGANIZATION | CITY/TOWN | FUNDING | PROJECT |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Ames Foundation
|
Ames | $5,000 | Community tree planting in right-of-way. |
|
Baraboo/Devil's Lake State Park
|
Baraboo | $5,000 | Arbor Day planting at Devil's Lake State Park in picnic areas and around buildings. |
|
City of Baraboo
|
Baraboo | $5,000 | Right-of-way planting using local service club volunteers. |
|
City of Beloit
|
Beloit | $5,000 | City-led tree planting around government buildings. |
| City of Blue River | Blue River | $3,100 | Park planting on Arbor Day led by Friends of Blue River |
| City of Burlington | Burlington | $4,000 |
Community tree planting in right-of-way. |
| Calmar/Northeast Iowa Community College Foundation | Calmar | $2,000 | Tree planting on Northeast Iowa Community College campus. |
| City of Cassville | Cassville | $4,500 | School project planting on campus with volunteer and youth involvement with FFA. |
| Clear Lake Trees Committee | Clear Lake | $5,000 | Service-Learning Day school event with local students. |
| Clinton Trees Committee | Clinton | $2,500 | Clinton Trees Forever group partnering with the local community college to plant shade trees. |
| Camp Wapsie | Coggon | $2,305 |
Planting on public property along Wapsie Drive, city supported project at YMCA. |
| Colo-Nesco Community School District | Colo | $4,500 | School planting on campus to replace lost ash trees. |
| BCLUW Community School District | Conrad | $1,000 | Planting around school and fire department. |
| City of Conrad | Conrad | $4,000 | Planting at parks, detention basin and public right-of-way. |
| City of Cresco | Cresco | $4,500 | Tree planting with an Arbor Day tree ceremony. |
| Creston FFA Chapter | Creston | $4,640 | Shade tree planting downtown, on the campus of the local community college and Union County Fair Grounds. |
| Winneshiek County Conservation Board | Decorah | $1,000 | Planting around the playground, park and trail using local volunteers from a trail group. |
| Dubuque Trees Forever | Dubuque | $5,000 | Community tree planting in five city parks. |
| City of Dysart | Dysart | $1,000 | Community tree planting along the trail and in parks in town. |
| City of Eddyville | Eddyville | $2,000 | Community tree planting in parks and recreational areas using volunteers from the local high school. |
| City of Elkhorn | Elkhorn | $5,000 | Park tree planting in Babe Mann Park to replace trees lost to a beaver, led by Rotary club. |
| City of Garwin | Garwin | $2,500 | Community tree planting with local volunteers from 4-H, FFA the Lions Club and the City of Garwin. |
| Greenfield Chamber/Main Street and Development | Greenfield | $3,000 | Public right-of-way planting led by the chamber and city. |
| Grinnell-Newburg Community School District | Grinnell | $4,000 | Planting at Grinnell school with school volunteers. |
| City of Harcourt | Harcourt | $4,500 | Community tree planting in a new park. |
| City of Hiawatha | Hiawatha | $4,000 | Earth Day Celebration with tree planting in right-of-way. |
| City of Hills | Hills | $1,000 | Earth Day Celebration planting 5 trees to replace ash trees. |
| City of Hillsboro | Hillsboro | $5,000 | City led planting in parks with volunteers. |
| City of Huxley | Huxley |
$4,000 |
Right-of-way planting along Meadow LN. |
| Jefferson Tree Committee | Jefferson | $4,000 | Jefferson Tree Committee leading tree plantings in Russell and Head Parks to replace ash trees. |
| City of Lancaster | Lancaster | $4,860 | Plantings in city parks, golf course and street rights-of-way. |
| City of Laurens | Laurens | $1,500 | Hometown Pride group using tree inventory to replace public trees in parks. |
| City of Letts | Letts | $1,500 | 4-H and FFA kids will work with City to plant at the north entrance to town and in parks. |
| City of Lisbon | Lisbon | $4,000 | Right-of-way planting with boy scouts and students. |
| City of Mallard | Mallard | $4,000 | City led planting at the city owned public golf course, in parks and right of way. |
| City of Marion | Marion | $4,000 | Community tree planting in the right of way with volunteer involvement. |
| City of Marshalltown | Marshalltown | $4,000 | Community plantings in many public locations, including parks and right of ways. |
| City of Mason City | Mason City | $5,000 | Planting in right-of-way at several locations in town with Mason City student volunteers. |
| City of Mauston | Mauston | $2,639 | Proposed planting in Living Food/pantry site on green space next to a baseball field. |
| City of Maysville | Maysville | $2,000 | Community Tree planting around a playground in the city park. |
| City of McCausland | McCausland | $1,500 | City led right-of-way planting with volunteers. |
| Trees Forever Mechanicsville | Mechanicsville | $1,000 | City led right-of-way plantings. |
| City of Monticello | Monticello | $4,500 | Right of way and park plantings in town to replace lost ash trees, involving high school kids, 4-H and Eagles Club. |
| Mount Vernon Community School District Foundation | Mount Vernon | $5,000 | Mount Vernon school planting around the building, trails and ball fields. |
| City of Muscatine | Muscatine | $4,000 | City Parks and Recreation led right of way plantings with volunteers from Rotary, Boy Scouts, United Way and more. |
| City of Nekoosa | Nekoosa | $4,000 | Right-of-way and parks planting to replace lost trees in older tree canopy. |
| City of Nevada | Nevada | $4,500 | Arbor Day tree planting at the SCORE Rec and Activities Complex with students from Nevada schools. |
| City of New Albin | New Albin | $500 | Planting in right-of-way, with the New Albin Improvement League. |
| City of Norway | Norway | $2,500 | Norway Beautification Committee is leading right of way and park planting. |
| City of Oelwein | Oelwein | $4,000 | Community tree planting in city right-of-way with volunteers and community members and students from Oelwein schools. |
| City of Palo | Palo | $4,500 | Community tree planting led by the city with volunteers planting in a local park. |
| City of Platteville | Platteville | $5,000 | Planned plantings in the city parks. |
| City of Portage | Portage | $4,645 | City arborist led planting at the sports complex, providing shade to buildings, bleachers, playground areas and parking. |
| City of Riverside | Riverside | $3,305 | Community tree plantings in city right-of-way of E 3rd & E 4th Streets with local volunteers. |
| City of Rolfe | Rolfe | $3,920 | Right-of-way and park plantings with local volunteers and the Hometown Pride group. |
| Rudd Park Board | Rudd | $2,200 | Community tree planting project at the city-owned campsite, adding shade trees. |
| City Sharpsburg | Sharpsburg | $1,000 | Tree planting of three trees in the city park and near the shelter house. |
| City of Sheboygan | Sheboygan | $5,000 | Large park planting. |
| City of Storm Lake | Storm Lake | $4,000 | City led tree planting at multiple locations around Storm Lake including right-of-way and parks. |
| City of Van Horne | Van Horne | $4,000 | Right-of-way tree planting with Boy Scouts and other local volunteers. |
| Villisca Lions Club | Villisca | $1,000 | Community tree planting in the right-of-way throughout town with the Lions Club, Community Betterment group and students. |
| Washington Trees Committee | Washington | $3,000 | Park planting at Washington Wellness Park. |
| City of Waukon | Waukon | $5,000 | Community park planting |
| City of West Union | West Union | $4,500 | Planting at the city park. |
Alliant Energy Corporation (NASDAQ: LNT) provides regulated energy service to 1 million electric and 425,000 natural gas customers across Iowa and Wisconsin. Alliant Energy's mission is to deliver energy solutions and exceptional service customers and communities count on – safely, efficiently and responsibly. Interstate Power and Light Company (IPL) and Wisconsin Power and Light Company (WPL) are Alliant Energy's two public energy companies. Alliant Energy is a component of Bloomberg’s Gender-Equality Index and the S&P 500. For more information, visit alliantenergy.com and follow Alliant Energy on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X.