Branch Out program encourages energy efficiency, environmental awareness, and community stewardship

Several area communities will be a bit shadier with new trees recently funded by the Branching Out program of Alliant Energy and Trees Forever.

Those communities include: Eldon, which received a $3,000 grant to plant trees around the KD Center and along a few streets; Washington, which received a $3,280 grant to plant new trees at the Washington High School; and Columbus Junction, which received a $2,000 grant to plant trees around the Carson Chin Baptist Church.

Jared Reed, Eldon city works director, said this is the fourth time Eldon has been able to secure a grant from the Branching Out program to plant trees throughout the small town in the southeast corner of Wapello County.

In the past, Reed continued, Eldon has been able to plant nearly 100 trees in areas including the American Gothic House and Gothic House Center, the Rock Island train depot museum, the city maintenance shop and the baseball field.

'The trees at the baseball field fence are getting pretty tall, about 20 feet,” said Reed. 'They're probably 10 years old now.”

In this round of funding, Reed said about 30 trees were planted in Eldon, mostly around the KD Center.

'Emerald Ash Borer took out an awful lot of shade trees at the KD Center,” he explained. 'We lost eight to 10 ash trees, so these are replacing them.”

The new trees include tuliptrees, a couple of maple varieties, a bloodgood London, which is basically a sycamore, honey locust, and oaks.

Most are fast-growing shade trees, which Reed explained, were selected because of their ability to provide shade sooner than slow-growing varieties.

'And they are aesthetically pleasing,” he added, pointing out that some will flower in the spring and some will be quite colorful in the fall.

However, looking pretty and providing shade are just a few of the benefits of the new trees.

According to the Alliant Energy website, not only does planting trees provide shade and cool the air, it helps to lower the energy costs and reduces peak electric demand.

In addition, Branching Out also helps diversify the tree population, which limits the negative impacts of pests like Emerald Ash Borer. 'A diverse urban forest is the best way to ensure resiliency when faced with tree diseases and pests,” states the website.

'Trees are good for people, communities and the environment,” said Terry Kouba, president of Alliant Energy. 'These planting are just one more way we can leave things better than we found them.”

The Branching Out program has been in place for more than 20 years to encourage energy efficiency, environmental awareness, and community stewardship in Iowa.

The program is offered to Iowa communities where Alliant Energy provides service. It provide grants of up to $5,000 per community for community-based, tree-planting projects like schools, libraries and community buildings and streets that will provide energy-saving benefits to the community.

Trees Forever administers and facilitates the program, providing educational and planning support.

Grants are awarded once each year. Applications can be submitted at any time and will be held until the grant cycle opens. For the next spring and fall plantings, the application deadline is Nov. 1, with the grants announced Feb. 1 and funding awarded in April.

Branching Out grant applications can be filled out online at the Trees Forever website or the application can be downloaded, completed and mailed to Trees Forever c/o Branching Out, 770 Seventh Ave., Marion 52302.

Trees Forever staff members are available to help complete applications, develop a planting project, and plan a planting event. They can be contacted at 800-369-1269, Ext. 110.

'We have been pretty successful with this,” said Reed. 'If another community is considering this, it's not a tough grant to apply for.”