KENT — The Kent Conservation Commission is looking to revitalize the downtown canopy and is offering motivated residents and businesses the opportunity to take tree planting into their own hands.
The 2025 Street Tree Incentive Program offers up to $1,500 in the form of three reimbursement grants (up to $500 each) dedicated to filling Kent’s roadsides with trees, preferably the large and shady kind.
In an announcement to the town via email, the Commission bemoaned the loss of large trees in the town’s commercial sectors, and said that this program has the potential to bring about an even greener Kent.
Besides providing shade from the summer heat, a fuller canopy can offer a slew of environmental benefits, the Commission shared in its informational materials for the program. Healthy trees help sequester carbon from the air and improve air quality, provide food and habitat for wildlife, lower air conditioning costs by shading homes, and slow and filter stormwater runoff, among other boons to the landscape.
The grants are limited to planting plans for this fall in the Village Center or Flanders Historic District. Applications are due by 4 p.m. on Sept 15.
A full informational packet can be found online under the “News & Announcements” tab on the town’s website, www.townofkentct.gov.
Justine and Victor Valla in their studio with a painting of Victor’s,”Jonah and the Whale.” Robin Roraback 
A ceramic vase by Kathleen Heidemann.Provided 
Joy Brown’s delightful ceramic sculptures.Provided 
