County Awards 2019 Dane County Environmental Council Grants
April 08, 2019
Ariana Vruwink (608)267-8823
$17,580 Awarded for 19 Projects to Help With Local Environmental Conservation,
Restoration, and Education Efforts
Dane County approved $17,580 in grant awards through the Dane County Environmental Council’s Community Partners and Capital Equipment programs, Dane County Executive Joe Parisi announced today. The grant will fund 19 environmental conservation, restoration, and education projects across the county.
"By partnering together, we can continue our efforts to conserve and restore Dane County’s outdoor spaces," Parisi said. "These projects will help communities across the county continue their work to raise awareness about our environment and ensure our natural resources can be enjoyed for many years to come."
Examples of this year’s projects include prairie restoration, environmental education, trail improvements and maintenance, and equipment purchases to manage invasive species. All of the projects must take place in Dane County and provide a benefit to Dane County natural resources and residents. A full listing of grant recipients can be found below.
Funding for Environmental Council grants is provided through Dane County’s Land and Water Legacy Initiative and generous donations from local businesses, including American Transmission Company and Veridian Homes Foundations. Grant recipients also provide matching funds in order to complete their projects.
Dane County Environmental Council grants award funding to a diverse group of community organizations, school districts, and municipalities. The Dane County Environmental Council is a six-member panel appointed by County Executive Parisi and confirmed by the County Board. The Council assists groups in recognizing and protecting natural areas in Dane County and assumes an educational role in the awareness, conservation and protection of the environment.
For more information on the Dane County Environmental Council, visit: http://www.countyofdane.com/commissions/environmentalcouncil
Community Partner Grant Program 2019
Catholic Multicultural Center: $302.00
Funds will be used to provide plants for both a native plant garden and for land restoration work at its food pantry garden site.
Emerson Elementary School: $302.00
Funds will be used to purchase garden tools and plants for a pollinator garden to be planted at the Emerson Elementary School.
Friends of the Brooklyn State Wildlife Area: $1000.00
Funds used to purchase prairie and savanna pollinator seed mixes to provide pollinator and butterfly habitat at the Brooklyn State Wildlife Area.
Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy: $928.00
Funds will be used for purchasing native plants to be installed by volunteers in Friends of Pheasant Branch "Seed Orchard". The seeds from this Seed Orchard will help future restorations efforts in Pheasant Branch and throughout the Dane County Park system.
Groundswell Conservancy: $246.55
Funds will be used to help purchase a field and brush mower that will be used at Westport Drumlin where 200 acres of the historic empire prairie and at Patrick Marsh to help maintain 1.5 miles of trails.
Madison Children’s Museum: $500.00
Funds will be used to purchase materials to create a renewable energy tool kit for visitors to explore and experiment with wind and solar power.
Olbrich Botanical Society: $1000.00
Funds will be used to purchase materials to make a pollinator residency program that will have a series of pollinator habitat areas at Olbrich Botanical Gardens with a focus on native bee species.
Town of Dunn: $1000.00
Funds will be used to purchase trees to improve Simpson Park to increase landscape diversity.
Village of DeForest: $1000.00
Funds will be used to purchase native plant seeds to restore the Western Green Park drainage swale.
Village of Windsor: $801.00
Funds will be used to purchase a sign holder along a trail to a rare, intact sedge meadow within the Token Creek Conservancy at the Old Mill Site. The sign holder will help education about importance of wetlands and details on sedge meadows.
Whitehorse Middle School: $500.00
Funds will be used to purchase trees, shrubs, and native forbes in the Annie Greencrow Woods to enhance this outdoor classroom school site
Total amount awarded for the 2019 Community Partners grants: $7579.55
Capital Equipment Grant Program 2019
Friends of Capital Springs Recreation Area, Inc.: $1000.00
Funds will be used to purchase a maintenance trailer to help with trail and invasive plant work.
Friends of Donald Park: $2000.00
Funds will be used to purchase a walk behind brush hog to help maintain hiking and multi-use trails.
Friends of Festge Park, Inc.: $2000.00
Funds will be used to purchase a brush cutter to help remove invasive brush in the steep and rocky terrain of the park.
Groundswell Conservancy: $1803.45
Funds will be used help purchase a field and brush mower that will be used at Westport Drumlin where 200 acres of the historic empire prairie and at Patrick Marsh to help maintain 1.5 miles of trails.
Habitat for Humanity of Dane County: $928.00
Funds will be used to purchase a High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) vacuum to allow repairs and rehabs for homes built before 1978 that may have lead paint.
Olbrich Botanical Society: $688.00
Funds will be used to purchase a Toro push mower to maintain meadow and other grounds where conventional mowers cannot be used.
Southern Wisconsin Chapter of Trout Unlimited: $580.55
Funds will be used to purchase a metal storage cabinet so that tools used by volunteers can be safely stored at a location.
Urban Tree Alliance: $1000.00
Funds will be used to purchase tree stakes and shovels needed to support a tree planting program for the Madison Metropolitan School District in an effort to replant from removed ash trees.
Total amount awarded for the 2019 Capital Equipment grants: $10,000.00
2019 Awarded Grants in both programs = $17,579.55