The Maryland Forest Service is offering a new grant program to distribute $4.8 million in federal Inflation Reduction Act funds towards urban and community forestry projects during the next four years. The Community Forestry Catalyst Fund expands resources for Maryland’s ambitious commitment to enhance its forest cover and tree canopy through the state’s 5 Million Trees for Maryland initiative and existing programs, like the Chesapeake Bay Trust’s Urban Trees Grant Program. These programs prioritize tree plantings where they can provide the greatest benefits to people, such as heat island abatement, air quality regulation, and flooding reduction.  “We’ve seen strong evidence in the past 30 years that the forest conservation laws we have in Maryland are effective at curbing the amount of forest lost during development,” said Maryland Forest Service Director Anne Hairston-Strang.