OMAHA, NE. — A south Omaha neighborhood near 33rd and L streets could soon have nearly 300 new shade trees, as the city moves forward with a planting plan backed by hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant funding.
For residents like Josef Lopez, the lack of trees has made everyday outdoor activities uncomfortable.
"When I go for a walk or (go) running, I get burned really easily," Lopez said.
Some trees in the area were cut down, while others were lost to storms.
"One of these trees fell, and it was blocking the whole road — the whole street," Lopez said.
Plant Nebraska, the USDA, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln have provided $363,000 in grant funding to plant trees in Omaha.
Plant Nebraska Executive Director Hanna Pinneo said local organizations could apply for grants ranging from $10,000 to $300,000.
"Local governments, school boards — those types of groups could put in applications from ten thousand to three hundred thousand dollars," Pinneo said.
Pinneo said selecting the right location for each tree is a key part of the process.
"You want to make sure the tree is not going to become a hazard later in life," Pinneo said. "So whether that means we don't plant it under power lines or over other underground utilities."
The planned tree species include a variety of options suited to the area.
"So we are looking at oaks, different types of maples, some nut trees like hickories and black walnut, different things like that," Pinneo said.
For Lopez, the ideal planting spot is close to home — his front yard — and he already has a species in mind.
"I really like maple trees," Lopez said. "In Mexico, we had a lot of those trees."
For every old or rotting tree cut down in south Omaha, the city has pledged to replant two in its place.
