For Release: Thursday, August 18, 2005

DEC Announces Urban Forestry Grants to 17 Communities

Funding Allows Urban Neighborhoods to Beautify Streets, Save on Energy Use

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Acting Commissioner Denise Sheehan today announced that the DEC is awarding community tree planting grants to 17 communities throughout New York.

"By planting trees and increasing forest cover, urban communities will gain environmental quality and energy saving benefits," Commissioner Sheehan said. "The grants will allow municipalities to plant new trees so that future generations of New Yorkers can enjoy the beauty and benefits of nature where they work and live."

The grants total approximately $150,000 and will go to villages, towns and not-for-profit organizations across the State for community tree planting projects. These grants are made possible through the Urban and Community Forestry program funded by the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). Community greening grants serve to promote municipal urban forestry programs through tree planting, tree maintenance and educational projects that explain the importance of planting and maintaining trees in communities.

This year's community greening projects were selected by DEC staff from a large pool of 2004 grant proposals. Recipients were chosen based on criteria that included local assessment of need, contribution to energy savings, and the extent to which the project provides proper tree planting and maintenance practices. In addition to environmental and forestry components, ratings also considered how the project would contribute to environmental justice by factoring in population density, relative economic status and outreach to underserved communities.

The forestry grants, ranging from $3,500 to $10,000, will have a lasting impact on neighborhoods, especially where there is a need for increased tree cover. They will provide funding for trees, soil amendments, and labor. The grant recipients will match the funds with in-kind service, donations, and project related purchases such as additional trees. The trees will be planted on public property in needed areas such as inner cities, business districts and school grounds. Another benefit of these grants is the educational component of each project. School children and area residents will learn about tree planting, care, maintenance, and the benefits of urban trees.

A new round of grant opportunities will be announced this fall. Proposals will be requested from cities with over 65,000 residents as well as smaller communities, non-profit organizations, public authorities and school districts. A pool of grant funding, totaling $500,000, from federal and State sources is available for these Urban Forestry projects that include tree planting, maintenance, management planning and management plan implementation.

Today's funding announcement furthers Governor George E. Pataki's urban forestry goals, which were outlined in his 2004 State of the State Address. The Governor directed DEC and the New York State Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to form a partnership with local communities to plant trees in neighborhoods throughout the State for environmental, social, and economic benefits and to help reduce energy usage in urban areas.

Governor Pataki was the first Governor in the State's history to fund the EPF to the full extent allowable by law, and has increased funding for this important fund six-fold - from $25 million to $150 million annually. The EPF supports critical environmental projects related to open space conservation, stewardship of State lands and facilities, and improving the quality of our water resources.

Below is a list of the community tree planting grant recipients:

$5,214 - Lynbrook Public Schools, Nassau County - to plant 47 trees to promote energy savings over time from increased tree canopy as well as educational benefits to members of the school community. This project will mitigate an area that is exposed to excess commuter and truck traffic, resulting in increased noise and poor air quality.
$10,000 - Village of Kiryas Joel, Orange County - to plant 50 three-inch caliper trees on scattered sites. The tree planting process will be used to inform children in the community of the importance of trees. A permanent section on trees has been added in the Kiryas Joel Schools' third grade curriculum, as a result of earlier funded programs.
$9,840 - Village of Goshen, Orange County - to plant 40 shade trees to be placed in the Erie Street Park, North Church Street parking lot and in the Prospect Hill neighborhood. Several trees will be planted on Main Street, as part of the ongoing Main Street Reforestation Program whose goal is the restoration of the classic, tree-lined appearance on Main Street in the Village.
$10,000 - City of Newburgh, Orange County - to plant 80 trees in four parks, a playground, a parking lot, four streets with few or no trees, replace damaged trees removed by the City and plant trees where citizens have requested them.
$10,000 - Village of Tivoli, Dutchess County - to plant 60 trees to provide beauty and shade. Tree will also improve the air quality, control winds, reduce noise and glare, provide wildlife habitat, increase property values, and improve human social interaction and health.
$10,000 - City of Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County - to plant a total of 60 trees to green the streets of the inner city that will help to restore and revitalize neighborhoods. Secondary goal of the planting is to have a fully stocked and diverse urban forest that is multi-aged and healthy.
$10,000 - City of Cohoes, Albany County - to plant 66 trees of varying types. The entire city will benefit from this project, as it is located in Lansing Park. At maturity, the trees will reduce total energy cost, shade the park, create an excellent windbreak, and create a wildlife habitat.
$8,700 - Capital District Community Gardens, Rensselaer County - to plant 50 trees in conjunction with new sidewalks. Residents will have the option of having a free tree planted in the public right-of-way at the same time they are having new sidewalks installed. There are many problems with existing trees because of their age and condition. The municipality is offering to improve existing infrastructure and revitalize the urban forest.
$10,000 - City of Ithaca, Tompkins County - to do a bare-root tree planting (43 trees) initiative using students, citizens, and city staff in collaboration with Cornell Cooperative Extension and the Cornell University Urban Horticulture Institute to bring several low income neighborhoods closer to full tree stocking.
$10,000 - Village of Waterloo, Seneca County - to plant 784 trees of various age and size to improve and shade four areas in its downtown and nearby Recreation Center. The primary focus of the project is the parking lot located between the Village's Canal waterfront and their historic downtown. Trees will also be planted along a section of Main Street, in a second parking area and around the Village's Recreation Center.
$3,500 - Village of Naples, Ontario County - to plant 40 shade trees. Many of the current trees have succumbed to age and salt damage, leaving spaces in the streetscape. Tourists are attracted by Naples's many attractions and the beauty of the village's streets is important to the local economy. The Village's appeal depends on the natural beauty of the wooded hills and its tree-lined streets.
$6,950 - Town of Gates, Monroe County - to plant 40 trees at two municipal parks. These trees are intended to complement varied stages of redevelopment. They will generate an increased forest canopy, provide tree canopy shading of buildings and parking lots, and promote energy efficiency.
$10,000 - Town of Greece, Monroe County - to replace 130 trees that are slated for removal. These trees consist of six different species that were damaged in a severe windstorm. A hazard survey has identified those trees that are too damaged to be saved or pose a potential hazard to the public. The town will supply the labor, equipment and materials necessary for the planting of trees.
$9,275 - Village of Pittsford, Monroe County - to plant 125 trees in the central business district, at Village gateways and on the rights-of-way in residential areas. This will reduce the cost of summer cooling by mitigating the impact of the heat island effect from pavement, reduce excessive stormwater runoff, save maintenance costs due to erosion and storm sewer overuse, and as a snow barrier that will improve traffic safety and reduce the cost of installing snow fences.
$7,658 - Village of Arcade, Wyoming County - to plant 38 trees at three sites. These trees will replace diseased or dying trees that were removed. The village will also plant a total of eight trees in containers along Main Street, where there currently are none.
$9,790 - Town of Orchard Park, Erie County - to plant 150 trees to provide a sight and sound buffer for park neighbors, canopies of shade for park users, increase protection of wetland areas, mitigate noise and exhaust, advance major town parks and trails initiative and enhance quality of life and property values by improving park resources.
$9,298 - Village of Westfield, Chautauqua County - to plant 136 trees at specific sites in the village. Plantings are targeted to seven areas that require additional tree plantings in order to enhance the visual appeal of an important community gateway. These plantings will also educate and create a heightened sense of awareness regarding the importance of appropriate landscaping concepts for future property owners and developers.

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