City of Sheboygan receives nearly $5,000 grant from ATC

Categories: Parks & Forestry

The City of Sheboygan recently received a nearly $5,000 grant from American Transmission Co.’s Pollinator Habitat Program to create a pollinator habitat underneath high-voltage electric transmission lines.

“We’re excited to transform this greenspace, which is unsuitable for large trees, into a beautiful habitat for bees, birds, butterflies and other pollinators,” said City of Sheboygan Department of Public Works City Forester Tim Bull. “With this grant from ATC we’ll create a beneficial pollinator bed that will be an aesthetically pleasing site for those entering the city on Kohler Memorial Drive.” Pollinator friendly perennial plants will be planted in a way that will create waves of color throughout the growing season. The anticipated planting date will occur in May 2021.

ATC’s Pollinator Habitat Program promotes planting low-growing vegetation within a transmission line right-of-way to beautify communities in a way that doesn’t compromise the safety and reliability of the electric transmission system.

“Part of the reason for the recent decline in pollinator populations is due to loss of habitat,” said ATC Environmental Project Manager Johanna Sievewright. “The Pollinator Habitat Program promotes vegetation that is both compatible with our vegetation management practices and it provides habitat for pollinators, which use the utility corridor as a flight path.”

In addition to the Pollinator Habitat Program, ATC’s Community Planting Program provides financial support to eligible cities, villages, towns, counties and tribes in ATC’s service area for planting projects on public property, outside transmission line rights-of-way. Program funds can be used to plant trees and other tall-growing vegetation outside the transmission line rights-of-way. ATC has awarded more than 265 communities and organizations with funds totaling nearly $500,000 since 2013.

To qualify for either program, communities must commit that all current and future planting plans and urban forestry activities near high-voltage electric transmission lines
will comply with ATC’s maintenance standards. Cities, villages, towns, counties and tribes within ATC’s service area are eligible to apply for funding through the Community Planting Program. The Pollinator Habitat Program also is open to cities, villages, towns, counties and tribes within ATC’s service area, as well as to entities that allow public access to ATC rights-of-way (e.g. nature preserves, non-profits or public land managers).

ATC accepts applications from July 1 through Sept. 30, and award recipients are selected and notified by the end of the year. Awards for both programs range from $100 to $5,000. Additional information and program applications can be found at atc-GrowSmart.com.

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