Federal funds are a key part to America's urban forestry success. In Alabama alone, Urban & Community Forestry (U&CF) Financial Assisatance has funded over 350 projects to the tune of $4 million! The good news is that the U&CF Program is still making a difference in our state and in our nation.  See how your community can use U&CF funding to improve its urban forest.

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In 1990, Congress expanded the Forestry Title of the Farm Bill, authoring the U&CF Financial Assistance Program (CFDA #10.664). This action allowed the Secretary of US Department of Agriculture to provide urban forestry financial and technical assistance through each state forester or equivalent state official. Renewed in 1995 and 2002, the Farm Bill permits the use of Federal resources to be used to improve the planting, protection, maintenance, and utilization of trees in urban America and its communities. The National Urban and Community Forestry Program is authorized by Section 9(c), Urban and Community Forestry Assistance, of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 as amended in public law 95-313.

The USDA Forest Service contracts with Auburn University to serve as the pass-through entity for this program in Alabama . As the pass-through entity, Auburn University , through the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, is the final decision maker on budget and allocations of all U&CF Federal funds.

Emergency Hurricane Supplemental Appropriations

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Program Background

On September 16, 2004 , Hurricane Ivan swept through Alabama and inflicted serious damage to large portions of the state's urban forest, especially in southwestern counties along or near the Florida panhandle. Initial assessments found that cities and towns in five counties (Baldwin, Butler , Conecuh, Escambia , and Monroe), suffered moderate to severe urban forest damage. Moderate damage being upward to 50 percent of the urban forest was injured or destroyed. Severe damage is defined as total devastation with nearly all of the urban forest injured or destroyed. Another seven counties (Clarke, Coffee, Covington , Crenshaw, Geneva , Mobile , and Wilcox) suffered isolated urban forest damage. Hurricane damage to the state's remaining urban forest was minimal.

On October 13 , 2004 Congress authorized "Emergency Supplemental Appropriates for Hurricane Disaster Assistance (Public Law 108-324)." This measure provides disaster assistance to mitigate the effect of recent hurricanes and other weather-related events. This law includes a provision allowing the use of Federal funds through Alabama 's U&CF program.

Auburn University has contracted with the USDA Forest Service to serve as the pass-through entity for this program in Alabama . This contract makes Auburn University , through the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, responsible as the final decision maker on budget and allocations of all supplemental U&CF Federal funds. These funds are congressionally appropriated dollars with very specific authorities. Auburn University will maintain accountability for the use of these funds.