Urban Reforestation Program

Tree Planting Grants Available

The Louisville MSD Urban Reforestation Grants Program is now accepting applications for tree planting projects.  Grants will pay for trees planted within the MSD Drainage Service area, which includes all of Jefferson County except for the cities of Shively, Jeffersontown, St. Matthews and Anchorage.  Download the application at the link below.  The application deadline is Friday August 11 at 5pm ET. Contact trees@louisvillemsd.org or (502)540-6022 with any questions.

Urban Reforestation Grant Application


For more information regarding MSD's Urban Reforestation Program, please contact trees@louisvillemsd.org or 502.540.6022.

The MSD Urban Reforestation Program plants 1,000 trees annually by working with local businesses, municipal organizations and neighborhood associations. These trees redirect an average of 1.35 million gallons of stormwater away from the sewer system every year, which decreases sewer overflows into our waterways.

By planting more trees, MSD not only absorbs stormwater but also reduces erosion and flooding, provides shade, reduces noise pollution and carbon dioxide in the air, and provides a habitat for nearby wildlife.

You can help, too, by planting trees of your own. You can also use the following steps below to find the benefits your trees currently provide our community:

1. Identify the species of your tree.
2. Measure the tree’s circumference (at 4.5 feet from the ground).
3. Convert that circumference to diameter using the formula: circumference/3.14 = diameter.
4. Visit the Tree Benefits Calculator at www.treebenefits.com/calculator

Interested in incorporating Green Infrastructure in your construction projects? Please read Chapter 18 of the MSD Design Manual: Green Infrastructure, Strategies to Manage Stormwater in Our Community.