Council accepts nearly $1.5 million federal urban‑forest grant to inventory and expand Wilmington’s street trees

Wilmington will receive and appropriate a federal Urban and Community Forestry Financial Assistance grant administered by the North Carolina Forest Service, the city announced after unanimous council approval.

Assistant director Sally Thigpen told council the no‑match award—funded through the Inflation Reduction Act—will pay for a comprehensive street‑tree inventory covering 36% of the city, contracted planting, pruning, removals and stump grinding, and new management software to professionalize tree data and scheduling. The grant also includes two years of support for the Alliance for Cape Fear Trees’ volunteer planting and maintenance programs.

"This award represents a major investment in Wilmington's urban forest and gives us the tools to accelerate our proactive management efforts," Thigpen said, noting the grant focuses on areas that experience disproportionate environmental impacts. Staff emphasized an inventory is the foundation for targeting maintenance and avoiding unnecessary removals: a GPS‑based inventory will record species, condition and hazard assessments across street trees and park trees.

Landscape superintendent Ben Misla explained operational priorities: the city responds to hundreds of service requests annually, triages emergency work after storms and plans pro‑active maintenance. Misla said the city planted more than 1,000 trees in 2025 and aims to replace removed trees in appropriate species and locations rather than repeating past mistakes (for example, avoiding planting fast‑growing laurel oaks in constrained sites).

Communications manager Amy Willis described stepped outreach plans—yard signs, door‑hangers, localized Nextdoor and social posts—and said staff will build an interactive project map and an improved tree‑maintenance web page to provide residents project schedules, FAQs and volunteer opportunities. Councilmembers asked about the scope, software access beyond the funded 36% and how the city will manage competing expert opinions on tree health; staff said the software will be citywide if additional funding is secured and that certified city staff retain liability for city trees while second opinions and new inspection technology (for example, sonic tomography) may be incorporated.

Council voted unanimously to accept the grant and make the supplemental appropriation; staff will return with implementation details for neighborhood outreach and project mapping.