CanopyBloomington Receives $20,000 from Duke Energy Foundation to Plant Trees!

Greater Bloomington’s urban forest is getting a boost this season thanks to a new grant from the Duke Energy Foundation. This collaboration highlights how local stewardship and corporate community support can come together to expand tree canopy, educate residents, and enhance neighborhood livability.

Canopy will be planting trees in neighborhoods with diminishing tree canopies due to disease, storms, and development. In March, with $20,000 from Duke Energy Foundation, CanopyBloomington will begin planting over 80 trees in the Highlands and Batchelor Heights neighborhoods to offset the loss of trees throughout the area. Additional neighborhoods will likely be added in the fall.

A key focus of this initiative is education around the principle known as “right tree, right place.” While trees provide immense benefits, planting the wrong species in the wrong location can lead to long-term challenges—including poor tree health, costly maintenance, and conflicts with utility infrastructure.

In urban environments, trees are often planted near sidewalks, streets, buildings, and overhead utility lines. Fast-growing or large-maturing trees placed too close to power lines may eventually require trimming or even removal to maintain safe and reliable electric service. By helping residents understand how to choose species that match the available space—including mature height, root structure, and canopy spread—Canopy aims to improve tree survival rates while reducing future disruptions.

Through this project, participating residents will learn which tree species are best suited for planting near power lines and which are more appropriate for open spaces. This shared knowledge benefits homeowners, utility providers, and the community as a whole, ensuring Bloomington’s urban forest grows in a way that is both sustainable and compatible with critical infrastructure.

The Duke Energy Foundation supports community wellbeing through grant funding in areas including climate resiliency, environmental stewardship, and equitable community investments. They are committed to balancing the importance of trees to our community with the need for reliable and safe electric service.

Each year, the Foundation awards millions in Duke Energy shareholder-funded philanthropic funding to nonprofits and community initiatives across its service territories, including environmental projects like tree planting, habitat restoration, and watershed protection.

Duke Energy’s Government & Community Relations Manager, Liz Irwin, underlined this dual mission: “Duke Energy is excited to continue our collaboration with Canopy and help improve the tree canopy in these neighborhoods. We recognize the important ecological, aesthetic and social benefits that trees offer our communities. We also appreciate the opportunity to educate residents on choosing the right trees and right location when planting near power lines.” This grant marks Canopy’s second from the Duke Energy Foundation, building on previous support and reflecting a shared commitment to both a greener community and reliable, resilient electric service.

One of the most exciting aspects of this project is that trees will be planted at no cost to residents — whether in public rights-of-way or on private property with homeowner permission. With the help of volunteers and local residents, Canopy is prioritizing neighborhoods with historically lower tree canopy cover, aiming to boost cooling benefits, improve air quality, and enhance overall environmental justice across Bloomington. Canopy will be engaging homeowners and business owners to ask for their permission to plant trees in their yards as well as share the benefits of tree plantings.

As Canopy’s Executive Director Ava Hartman explains, this initiative embraces a thoughtful balance: “It is important to recognize the duality of this project. Urban forestry is about providing all residents with the benefits of trees while also meeting their other needs such as providing continuous, reliable power.” This vision reflects the organization’s broader work engaging residents through tree plantings, workshops, and community outreach that help people understand not just the why but the how of nurturing a thriving urban forest.

If you want to learn more about Canopy, there is much more information below. And to explore the Duke Energy Foundation’s broader community impact and funding priorities, head to https://foundation.duke-energy.com.

Together, these efforts will grow a healthier, greener Bloomington—one tree and one resident at a time.

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CanopyBloomington is a social impact organization created to maximize Bloomington's tree canopy and sustainably manage Bloomington's urban forest for trees' many environmental, health, economic, and social benefits, with a focus on tree equity and community engagement. The staff, board and volunteers work year-round to plant and care for trees, improve air and water quality, and make neighborhoods healthier and more beautiful. But we can’t do it alone.

By donating to CanopyBloomington, you help fund tree-planting initiatives, educational programs, and community engagement efforts that make a lasting impact. Whether you contribute financially, volunteer for a planting event, or participate in our tree adoption programs, your involvement directly supports a greener, more pollinator-friendly Bloomington.

Join us in creating a thriving urban canopy that works for both people and our trees. Visit CanopyBloomington.org to learn more and make a donation today.