DEC Contact: Lori Severino July 29, 2022
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DEC ANNOUNCES NEARLY $1 MILLION IN FIRST ROUND OF COMMUNITY FOREST CONSERVATION GRANTSFunds Municipal Land Acquisition for Community Forests to Advance New York's Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act |
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New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced more than $956,000 in awards to four towns in western and central New York and Long Island to establish community forests. Protecting forests from potential development and establishing new forested areas helps preserve biodiversity and safeguard the ecosystem benefits forests provide, such as storm water mitigation, temperature regulation, carbon sequestration, and climate resiliency. In addition, community forests bring community benefits by creating new opportunities for public access and recreation.
Funding for this grant program was provided by the State's Environmental Protection Fund (EPF), a critical resource for environmental programs such as land acquisition, farmland protection, invasive species prevention and eradication, recreation access, water quality improvement, and environmental justice projects. Among the many environmental victories in the 2022-23 State Budget, Governor Hochul succeeded in increasing the EPF from $300 to $400 million, the highest-ever level of funding in the program's history. The EPF supports climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, improves agricultural resources to promote sustainable agriculture, protects our water sources, advances conservation efforts, and provides recreational opportunities for New Yorkers. |
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