Oakland Park, FL (March 26, 2018) – The City of Oakland Park has been named one of 10 cities in the United States to receive a $20,000 grant for innovative urban greening and tree-planting projects.
“This national grant from TD Bank and the Arbor Day Foundation will help fund Oakland Park’s continued efforts to increase our tree canopy and enhance the curb appeal of our neighborhoods,” said Mayor Tim Lonergan. “Our City Commission has made increasing tree canopies a priority with free tree giveaways and other beautification initiatives.”
The TD Bank “Green Streets” program supports innovative urban greening and tree-planting projects. In addition to Oakland Park, other TD Green Street grant recipients this year are: Delray Beach, Philadelphia, PA, New York, NY, Plainfield, NJ, Clifton, NJ, Boston, MA, Providence, RI, Myrtle Beach, SC, and Clinton SC.
Oakland Park will partner with Lloyd Estates Elementary School and the City’s Volunteer Corps to complete a community forestry project in the Prospect Gardens Neighborhood. A mixture of native trees will be planted along NW 5th Avenue, including Simpson Stopper, Wild Tamarind, Live Oak, and Pigeon Plum.
“Oakland Park is excited to receive this grant to continue planting more trees in our neighborhoods” said Mayor Lonergan. “It will help further our urban forestry efforts to increase the City’s tree canopy by at least 20 percent within the next two years.”
The project is designed to increase awareness of the benefits of an urban tree canopy and demonstrate proper tree selection and installation techniques to residents and volunteers. Through partnerships with the adjacent elementary school, volunteers and TD Bank, both students and residents of the neighborhood will experience the long-term benefits.
TD Bank’s commitment to enhancing urban tree canopies and green space is part of their vision to support the transition to a low-carbon economy and nurture sustainability in the communities they serve. Through their partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, they support innovative community programs that do more than beautify urban neighborhoods – trees improve air quality, capture carbon emissions, and enhance the quality of life.
TD Bank provides the funding for the grants, which are awarded annually for tree planting, maintenance costs and educational activities, and the Arbor Day Foundation administers the program. TD Green Streets is a component of TD Forests, a North American initiative aimed at growing urban forests, protecting critical forest habitats and encouraging responsible use of forest products.
To be eligible for a grant, qualified municipalities must be current Arbor Day Foundation Tree City USA®-designated communities within TD Bank's U.S. jurisdiction. Tree City USA is the nation's premier urban and community forestry program, providing a foundation for effective, well-organized community tree care.
For more information, please visit https://www.arborday.org/programs/tdgreenstreets/
About the Arbor Day Foundation: The Arbor Day Foundation is a million-member nonprofit conservation and education organization with a mission to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. More information on the Foundation and its programs can be found at www.arborday.org
About TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®
TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing more than 9 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at more than 1,200 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida.
In addition, TD Bank and its subsidiaries offer customized private banking and wealth management services through TD Wealth®, and vehicle financing and dealer commercial services through TD Auto Finance. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J. To learn more, visit www.tdbank.com. Find TD Bank on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TDBank and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TDBank_US. TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Group and a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America. The Toronto-Dominion
Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchange under the ticker symbol “TD”. To learn more visit www.td.com