WASHINGTON — American Forests, the oldest national conservation organization in the US, announced they are distributing over $25 million in grants from to 36 communities for equitable urban and community forestry projects via its Tree Equity Catalyst Fund. The funding, a portion of $50 million received from the USDA Forest Service, Urban and Community Forestry Program as part of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA), will help bring the many benefits of trees and urban greening to communities across the country, especially those that have been historically disadvantaged. These investments are critical — according to American Forests’ renowned Tree Equity Score, lower-income communities tend to have 26% less tree cover and are almost 6°F hotter than wealthier ones. Communities of color – regardless of income – tend to have 38% less tree cover and are 13°F hotter than white communities.