Governor Cuomo Announces $2.3 Million in Urban Forestry Grants

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo recently announced grant awards totaling $2.3 million for urban forestry projects in communities across New York. The Urban Forestry grants are funded through the state Environmental Protection Fund and are part of New York’s ongoing initiatives to address invasive species, climate change and environmental justice.

“These investments will help improve the quality of life in New York neighborhoods by supporting the replacement of trees impacted by invasive pests,” Governor Cuomo said. “Every New Yorker deserves access to clean air, and through these urban forestry grants, we are promoting the benefits of planting new trees to support a better, healthier New York for all.”

Grants were made available to municipalities, public benefit corporations, public authorities, school districts, soil and water conservation districts, community colleges, not-for-profit organizations, and Indian Nations. Awards range from $11,000 to $75,000, depending on municipal population. Tree inventories and community forestry management plans have no match. Tree planting and maintenance projects have a 25 percent match.

The awarded projects target local environmental needs that can truly benefit the community and the environment, including watershed protection. Projects include reforestation in areas to restore forest canopy lost to invasive species such as the Emerald Ash Borer. The 51 project winners for the 2017 grants were selected from 147 applications scored competitively.

Grant recipients listed by region are included below:

Albany County

• City of Watervliet – $38,268: Watervliet Tree Inventory Program
• Village of Menands – $25,000: Village of Menands Street Tree Inventory

Rensselear County

• City of Troy – $50,000: City of Troy Phase I Inventory and Management Plan Project
• City of Troy – $50,000: City of Troy Phase II Inventory and Management Plan Project

Schenectady County

• Cornell Cooperative Extension Association of Schenectady County – $33,000: City of Schenectady Tree Inventory 2017
• Cornell Cooperative Extension Association of Schenectady County – $33,000: Town of Glenville Tree Inventory
• Cornell Cooperative Extension Association of Schenectady County – $34,000: Town of Rotterdam Tree Inventory 2017

CENTRAL NEW YORK

Cortland County

• City of Cortland – $23,490: Cortland Tree Planting

Onondaga County

• City of Syracuse – $25,065: City of Syracuse Inventory and Cyclical Management of the Urban Forest Project
• Onondaga County Department of Water Environment Protection – $75,000: Maintaining Our Green Infrastructure for Storm Water Management
• Town of Dewitt – $24,350 Keeping Dewitt Green

FINGER LAKES

Monroe County

• Friends of the Garden Aerial Inc. – $75,000: 1,000 Trees Planting Project

MID-HUDSON VALLEY

Orange County

• City of Newburgh – $50,000: Greening S. William Street Tree Planting
• City of Port Jervis – $50,000: City of Port Jervis – Tree Inventory and Forest Management Plan
• Town of Warwick –  $21,000: Tree Inventory and Management Plan of 6 Town Parks and 12 Public cul-de-sacs

Ulster County

• City of Kingston – $50,000: Kingston Tree Inventory
• Village of New Paltz – $41,364: Tree Inventory and Management Plan – Village and Town of New Paltz (Core Urbanized Area)
• Village of New Paltz – $38,875: Village and Town of New Paltz Forestry Management Plan
• Village of Saugerties – $48,241: Village of Saugerties Street Tree Maintenance

Westchester County

• Town of Bedford – $43,305: Bedford UCF Tree Inventory
• Town of Ossining – $14,000: Tree Inventory in Town of Ossining Commercial Zone
• Town of Rye – $12,906: Crawford Tree Inventory and Community Forest Maintenance Plan
• Village of Port Chester – $50,000: Village of Port Chester – Tree Inventory Initiative
• Village of Port Chester – $42,250: Village of Port Chester – Tree Management Initiative
• Village of Mount Kisco – $50,000: Village/Town of Mt. Kisco – Tree Inventory and Management Plan
• Village of Hastings-on-Hudson – $29,500: Hillside Woods and Park Forest Management Plan

MOHAWK VALLEY

Oneida County

• Town of Floyd – $29,470: Floyd Town Park Tree Planting
• Mohawk Valley Community College – $49,000, City of Utica Tree Inventory Project

Otsego County

• City of Oneonta – $50,000: City of Oneonta Emerald Ash Borer Preventive Maintenance Program
• City of Oneonta – $42,240: City of Oneonta Planting of Street Trees on Market Street Project
• City of Oneonta – $50,000: City of Oneonta General Tree Maintenance Program
• Village of Cooperstown – $13,830: Cooperstown Tree Inventory and Urban Forest Management Plan

Schoharie County

• Village of Cobleskill – $13,000: Village of Cobleskill Urban Forestry Management Plan

NEW YORK CITY

Bronx County

• Wave Hill, Inc. – $35,500: Wave Hill Tree Maintenance
• Friends of Van Cortlandt Park – $17,550: Friends of Van Cortlandt Park Volunteer Restoration Planting Project
• The New York Botanical Garden – $71,951: The New York Botanical Garden Inventory and Assessment

Kings County

• The Evergreens Cemetery Preservation Foundation – $75,000: The Evergreens Cemetery Urban Forest Tree Maintenance
• The Evergreens Cemetery Preservation Foundation – $75,000: The Evergreens Cemetery Urban Forest Tree Planting
• The Green-Wood Cemetery – $75,000: The Green-Wood Cemetery Community Forest Management Plan
• The Green-Wood Cemetery – $75,000: The Green-Wood Cemetery Inventory and Assessment
• Prospect Park Alliance – $75,000: Prospect Park Tree Inventory

New York County

• Friends of Hudson River Park – $75,000: Hudson River Park Route 9A Median and Buffer Tree Planting Project
• New York City Department of Parks & Recreation – $75,000: Greenbelt Natural Area Assessment, Inventory and mapping (Phase 3)
• New York Restoration Project – $75,000: High Bridge Park Restoration

NORTH COUNTRY

Jefferson County

• City of Watertown – $18,000: City of Watertown Phase II Tree Inventory and Citywide Community Forest Management Plan

St. Lawrence County

• Village of Massena – $50,000: Village of Massena Tree Inventory and Forest Management Plan

SOUTHERN TIER

Broome County

• City of Binghamton – $50,000: City of Binghamton Comprehensive Tree Inventory – Phase II

Steuben

• Village of Bath – $19,800: Village of Bath Tree Maintenance

Tompkins County

• Village of Dryden – $11,209: Tree Planting on Main Street and Elementary School Neighborhood

WESTERN NEW YORK

Erie County

• Town of Tonawanda – $74,933: Town of Tonawanda 2017-2019 Tree Planting Project
• Town of Tonawanda – $75,000: Town of Tonawanda 2017-2019 Tree Maintenance Project

Urban forestry grants complement DEC’s ongoing initiatives to address invasive species, climate change, environmental degradation, environmental justice, and urban sprawl. Over the last six years, the state has funded more than $6.9 million in grants in support of projects with a total value of more than $12 million.

“Urban forestry programs promote clean air, clean water, energy savings, and habitat creation,” Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Seggos said. “The Urban Forestry grants announced today, made possible through Governor Cuomo’s increased investments in the Environmental Protection Fund, will help improve the environment and while improving the quality of life in communities across the state.”

Senator Tom O’Mara, Chair of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee, said, “New York’s fully funded Environmental Protection Fund continues to provide many investments, like the latest Urban Forestry grants, helping localities across the state address critical environmental and economic challenges, including invasive species and watershed protection.”

Assemblyman Steve Englebright, Chair of the Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee, said, “Trees are indispensable parts of town and city living–and the health, environmental and economic benefits street and park trees provide demonstrate a significant return on investment. In fact, the U. S. Forest Service has determined that over their lifetime the benefits trees provide are three times greater than the costs of their care including sidewalk and curb repair.  For every dollar New York State invests in Urban Forestry grants statewide, our communities reap three dollars in real benefits like cleaner air, cooler summer temperatures, better stormwater management and increased property values.”

The New York State Urban and Community Forestry Program provides technical assistance to communities through local DEC Urban Foresters and ReLeaf volunteers.

For more information on this program, including an updated calendar of events, visit DEC’s website at www.dec.ny.gov/lands/4957.html.