New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced $2.24 million in grants for urban forestry projects to protect air quality, water quality and natural resources across the state. The grants are part of DEC’s Urban and Community Forestry Program, which helps communities develop and implement comprehensive tree planting, management, maintenance, and education to create healthy forests while enhancing quality of life for residents.
"Continued investments in New York’s urban forestry programs promote clean air, clean water, energy savings, and habitat creation,” said Commissioner Seggos. “Thanks to Governor Cuomo, funding for these grants was made available through the State’s Environmental Protection Fund, providing crucial assistance for communities to manage their forests, particularly trees lost to the invasive emerald ash borer.”
The 54 projects to receive funding were selected from a total of 115 applications, ranked by cost effectiveness, lasting benefits, use of partnerships, and support from local stakeholders. The urban forestry grants complement DEC’s ongoing initiatives to address invasive species, climate change, environmental degradation, environmental justice, and urban sprawl. Over the last seven years, New York State has funded more than $9.2 million in grants to support projects with a total value of more than $16 million.
Senator Tom O'Mara, Chair of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee, said, "Communities throughout New York State benefit from this program and utilize these resources to strengthen the quality of their neighborhoods through tree planting, management, maintenance and other vital projects. These projects greatly enhance life for area residents and families."
Assemblyman Steve Englebright, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Environmental Conservation, said, “Urban forests are essential to communities all across New York State. They evoke a sense of pride and provide natural beauty in otherwise gray areas. Trees have quantifiable environmental and economic benefits: they purify our air, act as sound barriers, conserve energy by mitigating the urban heat island effect, improve stormwater management, provide erosion control, and increase property values. These urban forestry grants emphasize the importance of investing in the projects that deliver on those benefits. I applaud Governor Cuomo for his continued commitment to this important initiative.”
Grant recipients listed alphabetically by county:
|
Recipient
|
County
|
Project Type
|
Amount Awarded
|
|
Bethlehem, Town of
|
Albany
|
Tree Inventory and Management Plan
|
$35,000.00
|
|
Wave Hill INC
|
Bronx
|
Tree Inventory
|
$37,500.00
|
|
Dunkirk, City of
|
Chautauqua
|
Tree Inventory
|
$49,500.00
|
|
Westfield, Village of
|
Chautauqua
|
Tree Planting
|
$46,660.00
|
|
Norwich, City of
|
Chenango
|
Tree Planting
|
$13,015.25
|
|
Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County
|
Dutchess
|
Education
|
$49,806.00
|
|
Poughkeepsie, City of
|
Dutchess
|
Tree Inventory and Management Plan
|
$50,000.00
|
|
Amherst, Town of
|
Erie
|
Tree Inventory and Management Plan
|
$61,020.00
|
|
Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Inc.
|
Erie
|
Tree Maintenance
|
$75,000.00
|
|
Cheektowaga, Town of
|
Erie
|
Tree Planting
|
$75,000.00
|
|
Clarence, Town of
|
Erie
|
Tree Inventory
|
$22,945.00
|
|
Lancaster, Village of
|
Erie
|
Tree Inventory and Management Plan
|
$30,865.00
|
|
Williamsville, Village of
|
Erie
|
Tree Planting
|
$17,192.65
|
|
Jefferson Community College
|
Jefferson
|
Tree Inventory
|
$18,350.00
|
|
Watertown, City of
|
Jefferson
|
Tree Planting
|
$20,250.00
|
|
Evergreens Cemetery Preservation Foundation
|
Kings
|
Maintenance
|
$75,000.00
|
|
Evergreens Cemetery Preservation Foundation
|
Kings
|
Maintenance and Planting
|
$75,000.00
|
|
Gowanus Canal Conservancy, Inc.
|
Kings
|
Tree Maintenance
|
$74,460.00
|
|
Green-Wood Cemetery
|
Kings
|
Tree Maintenance
|
$75,000.00
|
|
Prospect Park Alliance
|
Kings
|
Tree Inventory
|
$38,100.00
|
|
Avon, Village of
|
Livingston
|
Tree Inventory and Management Plan
|
$18,500.00
|
|
Avon, Village of
|
Livingston
|
Tree Planting (EAB Remediation)
|
$50,000.00
|
|
Geneseo, Town of
|
Livingston
|
Tree Inventory and Management Plan
|
$21,124.27
|
|
Brockport, Village of
|
Monroe
|
Tree Planting
|
$13,630.00
|
|
East Rochester, Town/Village of
|
Monroe
|
Tree Maintenance
|
$13,270.49
|
|
Greece, Town of
|
Monroe
|
Tree Inventory
|
$15,000.00
|
|
Scottsville, Village of
|
Monroe
|
Tree Inventory
|
$22,500.00
|
|
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau County
|
Nassau
|
Education
|
$40,776.00
|
|
Rockville Center, Village of
|
Nassau
|
Tree Inventory
|
$47,295.00
|
|
Lockport, City of
|
Niagara
|
Inventory and Management Plan
|
$45,280.00
|
|
Mohawk Valley Community College
|
Oneida
|
Rome Tree Inventory
|
$49,056.00
|
|
Oneida County Soil & Water Conservation District
|
Oneida
|
Tree Inventory and Management Plan
|
$48,450.00
|
|
Utica, City of
|
Oneida
|
Tree Inventory
|
$50,000.00
|
|
Dewitt, Town of
|
Onondaga
|
Community Forest Management Plan
|
$11,000.00
|
|
Syracuse, City of
|
Onondaga
|
Tree Inventory and Management Plan
|
$25,000.00
|
|
Syracuse, City of
|
Onondaga
|
Maintenance
|
$66,000.00
|
|
Victor, Village of
|
Ontario
|
Tree Management Plan
|
$13,225.00
|
|
Albion, Village of
|
Orleans
|
Tree Inventory and Management Plan
|
$38,260.00
|
|
Cold Spring, Village of
|
Putnam
|
Tree Maintenance
|
$49,162.10
|
|
City Parks Foundation
|
Queens
|
Tree Maintenance
|
$75,000.00
|
|
Queens Botanical Garden Society, Inc.
|
Queens
|
Tree Maintenance
|
$57,048.94
|
|
New York City Department of Parks & Recreation
|
Richmond
|
Tree Inventory
|
$75,000.00
|
|
New York City Department of Parks & Recreation
|
Richmond
|
Tree Inventory
|
$75,000.00
|
|
Nyack, Village of
|
Rockland
|
Tree Maintenance
|
$50,000.00
|
|
Bath, Village of
|
Steuben
|
Tree Inventory and Management Plan
|
$18,800.00
|
|
Huntington, Town of
|
Suffolk
|
Tree Planting
|
$11,000.00
|
|
Sisters of St. Joseph, Brentwood NY (D/B/A Sisters of St. Joseph)
|
Suffolk
|
Inventory and Management Plan
|
$40,338.30
|
|
Cayuga Heights, Village of
|
Tompkins
|
Tree Inventory and Management Plan
|
$18,100.00
|
|
Ithaca, Town of
|
Tompkins
|
Community Forest Management Plan
|
$38,250.00
|
|
Kingston, City of
|
Ulster
|
Tree Maintenance
|
$50,000.00
|
|
Greenburgh, Town of
|
Westchester
|
Tree Inventory and Management Plan
|
$59,280.00
|
|
Ossining, Town of
|
Westchester
|
Tree Inventory
|
$50,000.00
|
|
Attica, Village of
|
Wyoming
|
Tree Inventory
|
$22,300.00
|
|
Perry, Village of
|
Wyoming
|
Tree Inventory and Management Plan
|
$22,690.00
|
For more information about DEC’s Urban and Community Forestry Program and other resources for managing community trees, visit DEC’s website.
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