Colorado gets millions of federal dollars to plant more trees

AURORA — Millions of federal dollars will be spent to plant trees in Colorado in the hopes of improving air and water quality, creating more shade to cool neighborhoods, and supporting jobs and workforce development.

The funding is aimed at helping local governments increase tree cover in underserved communities and boost equitable access to nature, officials said Thursday at an event in Aurora that featured the deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“We are committed to connecting all of our residents to the urban forest and want to ensure that we are providing accessible services and education to all of our underserved neighborhoods who have limited access to green spaces, parks and trees,” said Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman, whose city received a $5…