MONTE VISTA — The City of Monte Vista has received a $1,495 grant from the Colorado Tree Coalition (CTC) for the 2022 CTC Monte Vista Tree Enhancement Project.

The City of Monte Vista is located in the San Luis Valley. With a population of approximately 4,400, it is the second-largest community in the San Luis Valley and the economic center for Rio Grande County.

In recent years, the city has made a concerted effort to revitalize its infrastructure and address the unmet needs of its citizens as expressed in several recent community assessments and a parks and recreation master planning process. Monte Vista is currently a Tree City USA and has been for 27 years.

The purpose of this grant is to improve existing City parks and streets by providing the funds to plant appropriate trees which will maximize shade, aesthetic and windbreak value.

The planting projects are designed to occur at the three most visited parks and the downtown business district.

The benefit of planting in these three parks is that all parts and residents of Monte Vista will receive the benefit of more trees and will see options for species selection and proper planting techniques. This is especially important since some of the parks are in more economically depressed sections of town.

The primary desired outcome for the parks is to increase use by adding to the comfort and beauty of these parks as recreational sites for each neighborhood. The secondary outcome for the park plantings is to educate local residents on proper tree selection, planting and care.

The Board also referenced USDA Plants Database and observed how well newer varieties of planted trees in the San Luis Valley are growing. Species diversity was emphasized by choosing three different species.

The Colorado Tree Coalition (CTC) is a non-profit whose mission is to preserve, renew and enhance community forests statewide. The CTC awarded $42,620 in grants to 17 organizations in 2021.

These grant projects allowed recipients to plant and manage trees in community forests across Colorado. Grants are made possible through the Colorado State Forest Service, the Xcel Energy Foundation, Xcel Energy Vegetation Management Program, Colorado Public Radio and CTC members and supporters.

Since 1991, the CTC has awarded grants to 219 communities and organizations totaling more than $1,086,000.

These grants have been matched with more than $8 million in community money and in-kind services.