Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP) recently received an $11,000 grant from the Tree Resource Improvement and Maintenance (TRIM) Program offered by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC).

The TRIM Grant Program is a competitive cost-share grant program administered by the local MDC office. Grant amounts range from $1,000 to $11,000.

The cost-share grants assist government entities and non-profit groups with the management, improvement and conservation of trees and forests on public land, according to information on the MDC website, MDC.Mo.gov.

They can help communities fund tree inventories, the removal or pruning of hazardous trees, tree planting, and the training of volunteers or employees to best care for community forests.

How the money will be used

University officials said they will use the funds they received to maintain and renew the urban forest in and around campus. This includes trimming 40 trees on campus, removing six trees determined to be in poor health, planting 10 new trees around campus and providing educational literature to the Garnett Library.

The funds also will be used to continue MSU-WP’s Arbor Day program to build tree awareness among faculty, staff and students, university officials said.

MSU-WP officials noted the university received several $10,000 grants through the TRIM Program in the past.

For more information about MSU-WP’s tree management program, contact Physical Plant Superintendent Ron Hensley at 417-255-7268.