Fairfield branching out with new trees

Volunteers and community leaders with Fairfield Youth Advocacy KRUU-LP 100.1 FM are planting trees to provide more shade and save energy.

The local effort is part of the statewide Trees Forever and Alliant Energy Branching Out community tree-planting program.

?We?re looking forward to working with Trees Forever and Alliant Energy to plant more trees this year,? says James Moore. ?With their help, we are literally growing a better environment while making Fairfield healthier, more vibrant and more energy efficient.?

Planting trees helps lower energy costs and helps reduce peak electric demand. Trees also provide many other long-term health, economic, social and environmental benefits to the community.

Trees Forever administers the Branching Out program throughout Iowa, providing technical and planning support to participating communities. Alliant Energy funds the overall program, and provides project grants to the communities. The program will award $90,300.00 in grants to assist 26 Iowa communities and groups with tree-planting projects this fall; Fairfield Youth Advocacy will receive $3,000.00 for its tree-planting project.

?Energy efficiency is important to everyone, and we believe our investment in tree planting and education will help our customers become more aware of the benefits that trees have to offer,? said Tom Aller, president of Alliant Energy?s Interstate Power and Light. ?We care about the communities we serve and welcome the opportunity to help them.?

If you would like to volunteer to help plant and care for the trees in Fairfield Youth Advocacy KRUU-LP 100.1 FM, call Moore at 209-1083 or Trees Forever at 800-369-1269 ext. 110.

Branching Out grant applications are accepted on an ongoing basis throughout the year, but are considered for funding during two grant-making cycles (spring and fall). The next application deadline is Nov. 12. Spring 2013 grant recipients will be announced in January. For more information, contact Trees Forever at 800-369-1269 ext. 10. Applications are available online at www.alliantenergy.com/branchingout or www.treesforever.org.