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Photo by Jon Anderson
The city of Hoover has been approved for a $100,000 federal grant to remove kudzu and other invasive plant species from this 8.5-acre piece of property between Interstate 459 and Municipal Drive, and U.S. 31 and Lorna Road.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The city of Hoover has been approved for a $100,000 federal grant to remove kudzu and other invasive plant species from this 8.5-acre piece of property between Interstate 459 and Municipal Drive, and U.S. 31 and Lorna Road.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The city of Hoover has been approved for a $100,000 federal grant to remove kudzu and other invasive plant species from this 8.5-acre piece of property between Interstate 459 and Municipal Drive, and U.S. 31 and Lorna Road.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The city of Hoover has been approved for a $100,000 federal grant to remove kudzu and other invasive plant species from this 8.5-acre piece of property between Interstate 459 and Municipal Drive, and U.S. 31 and Lorna Road.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The city of Hoover has been approved for a $100,000 federal grant to remove kudzu and other invasive plant species from this 8.5-acre piece of property between Interstate 459 and Municipal Drive, and U.S. 31 and Lorna Road.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The city of Hoover has been approved for a $100,000 federal grant to remove kudzu and other invasive plant species from this 8.5-acre piece of property between Interstate 459 and Municipal Drive, and U.S. 31 and Lorna Road.
The city of Hoover has been approved for a $100,000 grant from the U.S. Forest Service to remove kudzu, callery pear trees and other invasive plant species on 8.5 acres between Interstate 459 and Municipal Drive and plant about 1,500 native trees there, City Forester Colin Conner said.
The land is Alabama Department of Transportation right of way for the interstate and sits between U.S. 31 and Lorna Road, but it has been overtaken by the invasive plants that are choking out native trees, Conner said.
The project was the idea of Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato, who sought to improve the aesthetics of the property and provide better visibility for city buildings such as Hoover City Hall, the Hoover Public Library and the Hoover Recreation Center, Conner said.
The invasive species takeover is worst in the part of the land closest to the Hoover Public Library and Hoover Recreation Center, he said.
Map by Hoover Sun based on description by Hoover city forester
The city of Hoover has been approved for a $100,000 federal grant to remove kudzu and other invasive species and plant about 1,500 native trees on the 8.5 acres outlined in blue between Interstate 459 and Municipal Drive, and U.S. 31 and Lorna Road.
All the money is coming from the federal government, but the grant is being administered by the Alabama Forestry Commission, Conner said. The money was first approved during the Joe Biden administration but was held up temporarily while being reviewed by the new U.S. Department of Government Efficiency, Conner said.
The money is coming from the Inflation Reduction Act's Urban and Community Forestry Program for economically disadvantaged areas, and this part of Hoover qualifies as a federally designated disadvantaged area, Conner said.
The trees that will be planted will start off as trees in 3-gallon to 7-gallon containers, according to the agreement between the city of Hoover and the Alabama Forestry Commission. The trees will be native to the Southeastern United States or other trees approved by the grant administrator. Conner said they likely will include oaks, pines or maple trees.
The city likely will start removal of the invasive species between now and September and may do two rounds of removal before planting the new trees, Conner said. It probably will be at least the fall or winter of 2026 before the new trees are planted because there are certain times of year that are best for planting, he said. The job is supposed to be completed by 2028, he said.
The area should look noticeably different once the invasive species are removed, Conner said.
