Katherine JohnsonThe University of Kentucky Urban Forest Initiative (UFI), in partnership with the Appalachia Service Project and Team Kentucky, celebrated a significant milestone with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Gov. Andy Beshear and other state dignitaries. The event marked the completion of 11 new homes for families displaced by recent floods in Eastern Kentucky and highlighted UFI’s commitment to reinforcing urban tree canopies and promoting green infrastructure.
Wayland, a small community in Floyd County with a population of 360, is recovering from severe flooding that impacted many homes and residents. The flooding significantly affected the town’s governance and community fabric, FEMA has condemned several homes, including those of two city council members. The Appalachia Service Project, an organization dedicated to rebuilding houses, partnered with Team Kentucky to construct new homes.
Gov. Beshear and Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman were among the event attendees. Beshear emphasized the importance of community support and resilience.
“We are celebrating another significant milestone in our commitment to rebuild every home and every life after floods devastated some of our Eastern Kentucky communities,” Beshear said. “From the moment flood waters started rising, it’s been neighbors helping neighbors and everyone living out their faith and values, with a shared goal of making our Kentucky home better and stronger.”
The Urban Forest Initiative, part of the UK Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, is contributing to this effort by planting trees around the new homes and throughout Wayland. UFI aims to create a more resilient and connected community by utilizing trees as green infrastructure. This includes planting trees on the home sites, then establishing a walking path connecting the new development with the existing town.
