EASTBALTCO.COM

–photo courtesy of Baltimore County Government-

County Executive Johnny Olszewski announced the new Street Tree Replacement program, continuing his administration’s ongoing efforts to restore critical green infrastructure throughout Baltimore County.

The County Executive, local community members and business owners kicked off the initiative — which will see more than 1,300 trees planted in six concentrated areas — by planting a native hackberry tree in downtown Towson.

“Baltimore County is fully committed to making our communities greener, cleaner, and more sustainable – and we are all in on trees as an important part of that commitment,” said Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski.

“This new Street Tree Replacement Program will help bring back the tree-lined neighborhoods and business corridors that make our County a beautiful and healthy place to live and work.”

Baltimore County’s Department of Environmental Protection and Sustainability (DEPS) will begin the $625,000 County-funded project by planting 72 street trees in Towson and 31 trees along Dolfield Road in Owings Mills this winter.

Beginning in May, crews will plant approximately 250 trees each in Dundalk, Owings Mills/Randallstown, Parkville, Pikesville and the Security Square area of Woodlawn.

DEPS will reach out to community leaders and adjacent property owners before each planting operation.

“We are excited about County Executive Olszewski’s commitment to add street trees in downtown Towson,” said Baltimore County Councilman Mike Ertel.

“Over the years, we have had many trees that have been lost to aging, disease, construction, vandalism and even car accidents.

The reality is that trees are an important part of a complete streetscape and create a more congenial, walkable and safer atmosphere.”

Trees are critical infrastructure supporting health and well-being by improving air quality, lowering summer temperatures and absorbing greenhouse gasses and stormwater. They are proven to reduce cooling costs and enhance property values.

Last year, Olszewski launched Operation ReTree Baltimore County, a hyper-local tree equity program designed to expand the tree canopy in the urban communities most in need of greening. Through this program, more than 1,000 trees have been planted in Dundalk, Essex Owings Mills, Randallstown and Lansdowne.

Between Operation ReTree Baltimore County and the new Street Tree Replacement Program, the County will plant more street trees in one year than the past eight years combined.

This year, DEPS created two new Forestry Management divisions focused on urban forestry and tree maintenance.

Since 2000, Baltimore County has reforested more than 1,000 rural acres in support of the County’s requirements under the Forest Conservation Act, tree canopy goals and municipal stormwater permit. For the past two decades, Baltimore County has been recognized as a Tree City USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation, in partnership with the US Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters.

Baltimore County’s goal is to achieve and maintain a 50 percent tree canopy Countywide and within the three drinking water reservoirs by the year 2025.

Additionally, the County is striving to achieve and maintain 40 percent tree coverage within the more populated areas inside the Urban Rural Demarcation Line (URDL) and for each of the Census Designated Places (CDPs).

Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski announced that Baltimore County and the Baltimore Community Foundation (BCF) have awarded more than $2.67 million in American Rescue Plan (ARPA)-funded grants to nearly 30 local community-based organizations to support their recovery and enhance efforts to strengthen neighborhood resiliency.

“Baltimore County remains committed to helping our residents recover from the long-lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and I am very happy to provide these grants to local organizations that continue to advocate for and work on behalf of their communities,” said County Executive Johnny Olszewski.

“We are grateful to our federal partners for providing much-needed recovery funding, allowing Baltimore County to make these awards to nonprofits dedicated to providing critical services on behalf of our residents for years to come.”

Announced in June 2022, the Baltimore County COVID-19 Nonprofit Recovery Grant Fund offered grants starting at $25,000 to Baltimore County community-based organizations to support residents amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The grants, initially capped at $1.3 million and expanded to more than $2.6 million, were made possible through the County’s allocation of ARPA funding. Baltimore Community Foundation (BCF) will administer the grants on behalf of Baltimore County.

Funds will to support a diverse range of community efforts, such as behavioral healthcare, conflict resolution services, food access, senior engagement, bilingual outreach emergency shelter and advocacy services for victims of domestic violence and much more.

Additionally, funds will help cover revenue reductions or operating expense increases that have occurred due to the pandemic.

“This marks our third time partnering with Baltimore County on COVID relief and recovery and the process has really become seamless,” says Shanaysha Sauls, BCF President & CEO.

“The County Executive’s team is very thoughtful about how to meet the needs of the community and we are proud to put our expertise to use stewarding these critical funds to impactful organizations addressing the mental health crisis, supporting the vulnerable immigrants and refugees and ultimately building a stronger, safer, more resilient region.”

“Our local non-profit community serves critical functions for a surprising number of Baltimore County residents. That’s why we built flexibility into the federal investments we made through the American Rescue Plan, so that local governments could better partner with groups in their communities,” said U.S. Senator Ben Cardin.

“Team Maryland will continue finding ways to deepen investments in essential community services and to strengthen the non-profit partnerships on which so many Marylanders depend.”

“For many of our communities, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated hardships that already existed,” said U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen.

“That’s why we passed the American Rescue Plan to provide direct resources to help our communities come back even stronger than before COVID-19. I’m pleased to see County Executive Olszewski using these funds to boost many local nonprofits’ efforts – whether they are getting food and clothes to families in need, facilitating access to mental health services, or connecting people to good jobs. This is the American Rescue Plan at work strengthening Baltimore County.”

A full list of the Baltimore County Emergency Response Fund awardees announced today is below:

Afrithrive, Inc.
Assistance Center of Towson Churches
Associated Catholic Charities, Inc.
Associated Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore
Asylee Women Enterprise, Inc.
Baltimore Association of Nepalese in America
CASA, Inc.
Center for Adoption Support and Education, Inc. (C.A.S.E.)
Civic Works, Inc.
Community Assistance Network (CAN)
Conflict Resolution Center of Baltimore County
Enterprise Community Partners, Inc.
Episcopal Church of Christ the King/RISE
Foundation for Baltimore County Public Library
House of Ruth Maryland, Inc.
Improving Education
Jewish Community Services, Inc.
Life Builders Church
MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center
Mental Health Association of Maryland
NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore
Northwest Hospital Center
Outcast Food Network
Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland
Student Support Network
The Family Crisis Center of Baltimore County, Inc.
TurnAround, Inc.
World Relief Corporation of National Association of Evangelicals

“The American Rescue Plan is game-changing legislation. Nearly two years after it was signed into law, we are still seeing its positive impacts on the lives of everyday people,” said Congressman Kweisi Mfume.

“This bold, congressional action helped our nation avoid another Great Recession, or perhaps even Great Depression, by investing in real communities that needed help then and now. I look forward to seeing the results the selected organizations will produce with this federal support,” he concluded.

“The organizations that are receiving grants today have been on the frontlines throughout the pandemic and during our recovery, providing essential services in so many areas including healthcare, education, food assistance and even legal aid,” Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger said.

“I supported the American Rescue Plan Act, in part, so that we can empower our community nonprofits to do what they do best – serving people – and I have no doubt we will see an exponential return on this investment.”

The COVID-19 Nonprofit Recovery Fund is the latest in a series of partnerships between Baltimore County and BCF. In March 2020, the County and BCF launched the Baltimore County COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, which provided 50 local community-based organizations grants totaling $400,000 to enhance the County’s response to the COVID-19 crisis last summer.

In June 2021, the County and BCF established a fund to support the Baltimore County Summer Youth Jobs Program, providing skills training, coaching and paid work experience at public and private sector organizations for 300 Baltimore County youth.