The City of Lawrence, Indiana has been selected to participate in a statewide environmental initiative aimed at strengthening urban forestry and sustainability efforts.
Mayor Deb Whitfield announced the city has been awarded a climate fellow through the Indiana University Environmental Resilience Institute as part of the McKinney Urban Green Fellowship program.
Lawrence is one of four Indiana communities selected for the 2026 cohort, joining Richmond, Evansville and Dearborn County.
The fellowship places undergraduate and graduate students interested in climate, sustainability and community resilience with local governments to gain real-world experience while supporting environmental projects.
Officials say the fellowship will provide the city with a skilled climate fellow and project deliverables valued at more than $80,000. The fellow assigned to Lawrence will begin May 18 and work full time throughout the summer. During that time, the fellow will assist the city in developing an urban forest and arbor program along with other environmental initiatives.
“We are honored to have been selected by Indiana University’s Environmental Resilience Institute for this prestigious Fellowship,” Whitfield said in a statement. “This is one of several environmental initiatives that our city has recently embarked upon, and initiatives such as this effectively support our Live Longer in Lawrence campaign. A cleaner, more resilient environment means a healthier community, leading to longer life expectancy.”
The fellowship program is part of the Urban Green Governance Grant initiative led by the Environmental Resilience Institute at Indiana University. The effort is funded through a $150,000 grant from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Community and Urban Forestry program.
According to organizers, the initiative is designed to help Indiana communities strengthen their urban forestry programs and increase their competitiveness for future tree-planting grants. The program also aims to help the state secure additional funding for local community forestry projects while improving environmental resilience across Indiana communities.
City officials say the fellowship will support Lawrence’s ongoing sustainability goals and expand efforts to enhance green spaces and environmental health for residents.
Contact Health & Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth.
Hanna Rauworth is the Health & Environmental Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper, where she covers topics at the intersection of public health, environmental issues, and community impact. With a commitment to storytelling that informs and empowers, she strives to highlight the challenges and solutions shaping the well-being of Indianapolis residents.
