Keep Alachua County Beautiful receives $5,000 grant from UPS

UPS and Keep America Beautiful (KAB) have awarded $5,000 to Keep Alachua County Beautiful (KACB) for the implementation of the 2020 UPS Community & Recovery Tree Planting project. This grant is intended to address the problem posed by invasive plant species, provide for reforestation on conservation lands in Alachua County, Florida, and educate current and future generations about the importance of native trees.  

KACB plans to plant 8,000 Longleaf Pine seedlings, which is a highly recommended species for reforestation of dry, infertile, deep sand in the southeastern U.S. Restoration of these lands will impact the community by controlling erosion, providing habitat for wildlife, reducing CO2, providing vital natural recreation areas, reducing invasive species, reforesting conservation lands, and improving the scenic value of public roadways.

By partnering with the University of Florida and IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants, KACB will add a more in-depth educational aspect to the collaborative work. KACB hopes that current and future generations will gain an understanding and appreciation for native trees and the environment from the planned educational program. Participants will learn the long-term visual contribution of planting native species and appreciate the reduction of CO2 as the climate change issue becomes more apparent. 

In 2015, UPS announced a pledge to plant 15 million trees around the world by the end of 2020. The trees are planted by NGOs who receive grants from the UPS Foundation. KAB is among the partner organizations for the initiative. This year, UPS has pledged to plant 50 million trees by 2030, in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals period (2015-2030).  

In addition to its measurable impact on the environment, UPS has evolved its strategy to focus on improving lives in Black and underserved communities in the U.S. and developing areas around the world. UPS will help to address environmental injustices by improving air quality, fostering better health outcomes, more job opportunities, more social engagement and creating safer and healthier neighborhoods. 

For more information on planning public projects, contact KACB at greatamericancleanup.kacb@gmail.com, kacb.org, or (352) 371-9444. For information about UPS sustainability involvement go to https://sustainability.ups.com or contact UPS at sustainability@ups.com