Shade Trees For Southern California's Deserts

The Imperial Irrigation District is leading a three-year urban forestry initiative in Imperial and Riverside Counties, California, to plant 6,000 fifteen-gallon trees in disadvantaged and underrepresented communities, with half of the trees placed on residential properties and the other half in public spaces to promote equitable access to environmental benefits. The project is funded through a $2,975,163 grant request from CAL FIRE’s Urban and Community Forestry Program and is categorically exempt from environmental review under California Code of Regulations Title 14, Section 15304, which classifies such tree planting as minor land alterations with no significant environmental impact. Implementation includes urban forestry planning, community education, local job creation, and long-term stewardship, targeting areas with identified environmental and social needs. The lead agency contact is Jeremy Brooks, and the general counsel, Geoffrey Holbrook, serves as the primary point of contact, with remittances to be sent to P.O. Box 937, Imperial, CA 92251. No formal contract clauses, line-item pricing, evaluation factors, or FAR-specific provisions are documented, suggesting this is a grant-funded project rather than a traditional federal procurement. Required attachments include a certified exemption finding and confirmation that a Notice of Exemption has been filed. The project does not specify packaging, marking, delivery terms, inspection procedures, or electronic invoicing systems, and no solicitation number, amendment history, or submission deadlines are provided, indicating the documentation reflects a project notice or funding application rather than a fully executed contract with standard procurement elements.