Albany, NY - January 15th, 2015 - Nearly $930,000 in state grants have been awarded for 40 urban forestry projects in communities across New York to help protect air, water and natural resources, and enhance urban communities, State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens announced today. Combined with the urban forest grants announced on Earth Day in April ($797,437) and October ($280,391), New York State awarded more than $2 million in urban forest grants in 2014.
"Urban forestry programs are vital to creating a vibrant environment that provides clean air, clean water, energy savings, robust habitats and a high quality of life for New Yorkers," Commissioner Martens said. "Thanks to Governor Cuomo and the State Legislature providing Environmental Protection Funds (EPF), New York is able to offer this critical assistance to help improve the environment, support outdoor recreation and enhance economic conditions across the state."
The Urban Forestry grants are part of New York's ongoing initiatives to address climate change and environmental justice, providing funding to expand the number of trees in areas that often have limited space. The grants are provided to communities through the State's Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). Projects target local environmental needs and will benefit the community and the environment.
In addition to overseeing the grants, DEC's Urban and Community Forestry Program provides technical assistance to communities through local DEC urban foresters and ReLeaf volunteers.
DEC selected award recipients from 145 applications, which were scored competitively. Recipients include several projects on Long Island for reforestation in areas affected by Superstorm Sandy, as well as efforts to restore forest canopy lost because of invasive species such as the Emerald Ash Borer or the Asian Long Horned Beetle.
A full list of Urban Forestry Projects is below:
| Recipient | County | Project | Award |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Albany, NY | Albany | Albany Ash Tree Safety and Protection Program - Maintenance | $50,000 |
| Sustainable South Bronx | Bronx | Hunts Point Tree Inventory | $29,893 |
| Bronx River Alliance | Bronx | Bronx River Forest Tree-Planting Project | $50,000 |
| Wave Hill Incorporated | Bronx | Tree Maintenance Grant Phase II - Wave Hill | $40,000 |
| Woodlawn Conservancy | Bronx | The Woodlawn Cemetery Tree Inventory | $42,000 |
| Village of Moravia | Cayuga | Village of Moravia Tree Inventory | $4,260 |
| Erie County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Forestry | Erie | Erie County Tree Inventory Project for Ellicott Creek and Elma Meadows Parks | $24,000 |
| Erie County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Forestry | Erie | Erie County Parks Tree Management Plan | $18,240 |
| Town of Lancaster | Erie | Town of Lancaster 2014-2015 Tree Planting Project | $25,000 |
| Town of Newstead | Erie | Town of Newstead/Village of Akron Tree Inventory | $5,033 |
| Town of Elma | Erie | Town of Elma Ash Tree Inventory | $12,000 |
| Erie County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Forestry | Erie | Erie County Tree Inventory Project for Ellicott Creek and Elma Meadows Parks | $24,000 |
| City of Tonawanda | Erie | City of Tonawanda Citywide Tree Planting Project | $17,525 |
| Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe | Franklin | Saint Regis Mohawk Urban and Community Forest Management Plan | $22,275 |
| Town of Greece | Monroe | Town of Greece Tree Planting Project | $50,000 |
| Friends of Mount Hope Cemetery | Monroe | Tree Management Plan, Mount Hope Cemetery | $17,500 |
| Town of Greece | Monroe | Town of Greece Tree Maintenance Project | $50,000 |
| Village of Honeoye Falls | Monroe | Honeoye Falls Village Tree Inventory | $17,500 |
| Incorporated Village of Garden City | Nassau | Arbor Restoration - Tree Planting | $24,000 |
| City of North Tonawanda | Niagara | North Tonawanda Tree Inventory | $25,000 |
| The Downtown Committee of Syracuse | Onondaga | 2014 Tree Plantings in Downtown Syracuse | $7,500 |
| County of Onondaga | Onondaga | Onondaga Lake Park Ash Tree Replacement Program | $25,000 |
| Town of Cicero | Onondaga | 2014 Town Cicero Tree Inventory | $6,000 |
| Village of Solvay | Onondaga | Village of Solvay Tree Inventory | $12,000 |
| City of Geneva | Ontario | Geneva Urban Forestry Tree Inventory Project | $25,000 |
| Village of Warwick | Orange | Village of Warwick Tree Inventory | $18,000 |
| Oswego County Soil and Water Conservation District | Oswego | Street Tree Inventories for Villages in Oswego County | $11,114 |
| City of Fulton | Oswego | Fulton Tree Inventory | $20,000 |
| City of Fulton | Oswego | Fulton Tree Maintenance | $20,000 |
| NYC Parks, Greenbelt Administration | Richmond | Greenbelt Natural Area Assessment, Inventory and Mapping (Phase 2) | $50,000 |
| City of Schenectady | Schenectady | Schenectady Tree Maintenance Project | $40,000 |
| Village of Canton | St. Lawrence | Canton Village Tree Inventory Project | $17,000 |
| City of Ogdensburg | St. Lawrence | Downtown Gateway Tree Planting | $12,000 |
| Town of Islip | Suffolk | Pentaquit Creek Neighborhoods | $13,000 |
| Town of Islip | Suffolk | Historic District of Downtown Central Islip | $10,925 |
| Village of Brightwaters | Suffolk | Brightwaters South and Lake Tree Revitalization - Tree Planting | $8,693 |
| Town of Ithaca | Tompkins | Town of Ithaca Tree Inventory and Forest Assessment | $23,000 |
| Village of Mamaroneck | Westchester | Preparation of Tree Management Program for the Village of Mamaroneck | $25,000 |
| Village of Mamaroneck | Westchester | High Priority Tree Maintenance and Sidewalk Repair Initiative | $25,000 |
| Village of Penn Yan | Yates | Village of Penn Yann Tree Planting Project 2013/2014 | $12,419 |