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For Release: Friday, July 25, 2008

DEC Announces $900,000 in Urban Forestry Grants

Funding Will Help Support Tree Plantings and Other Projects Across the State

Urban forestry grants totaling $900,000 are being awarded to communities and organizations across New York, state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Pete Grannis announced today. The release of the list of awardees coincides with the annual New York State Urban and Community Forestry Conference taking place today at Cornell University in Ithaca.

"Urban forestry initiatives are key to promoting clean air, clean water, energy savings, habitat creation, and improved quality of life for New York residents," Commissioner Grannis, said. "These grants build upon Governor Paterson's interest in improving the environment across the state and will have a lasting impact by creating cleaner, healthier communities for both current and future generations to enjoy."

Funding for the grants comes from the state's Environmental Protection Fund to support a variety of projects involving community tree planting, tree inventories and management plans, as well as green infrastructure projects such as rain gardens and green roofs. A total of 47 recipients from cities, villages, towns and not-for-profit organizations across the state have been chosen.

Quick Start grants of $1,000 each were awarded to 11 of the 47 communities to help fund the creation of local tree planting programs and Arbor Day celebrations. The grants provide funding for trees, soil, labor and materials needed to complete the projects. Awards will be matched by funds ranging from in-kind services, donations, and project-related purchases such as garden tools and additional trees.

Recipients were chosen from 128 applicants based on criteria that included the contributions the projects will have on the local environment. In addition to environmental and forestry components, reviewers considered how projects would contribute to environmental justice by factoring in population density, relative economic status, and outreach to underserved communities. Applicants were encouraged to form regional partnerships and submit proposals that help implement watershed protection and Smart Growth initiatives with green solutions.


2007-2008 Small Community and Large City Urban and Community Forestry Grant Recipients:

Albany County
City of Albany $17,500: Distressed Neighborhood Tree Planting Program

Broome County
City of Binghamton - $20,000: Forestry Management and Streetscape Implementation Plan

Chemung County
City of Elmira - $8,000: Citizen Tree Planting Program

Cortland County
City of Cortland - $3,500: South End Neighborhood Tree Planting Project

Delaware County
Village of Delhi - $17,300: Delhi Trees Program

Dutchess County
Village of Red Hook - $13,610: Tree Pruning and Maintenance Program

Erie County
City of Buffalo - $75,000: Pursuing the Urban Forestry Master Plan through Neighborhoods and Parks
Town of Lancaster - $20,000: Tree Planting Project
Town of Tonawanda - $20,000: 2008-09 Tree Planting Project
Town of Hamburg - $5,740: Greening of the Parks

Jefferson County
City of Watertown - $12,000: 2009 Community Reforestation Project

Kings County
City of New York - $75,000: Brooklyn Botanical Garden Plaza Rain Garden

Monroe County
Town of Clarkson - $5,979.17: Tree Inventory and Community Forestry Master Plan
Town of Irondequoit - $16,000: Tree Risk Survey
Town of Greece - $10,000: Annual Tree Planting Program

Nassau County
Nassau County - $20,000: Urban Forest Master Plan

New York County
NYC Parks Foundation - $25,000: Citizen Stewards: Training Volunteers to Maintain New York City's Street Trees
New York Restoration Project - $75,000: Million TreesNYC Reforestation of New York City Housing Authority Properties
NYC Parks Foundation - $63,000: Greenstreet Gardens and Stormwater Capture: Creating Sustainable City Streets

Niagara County
City of Niagara Falls - $20,000: Inventory of Trees and City Right-of-Ways

Oneida County
City of Rome - $10,000: Municipal Tree Inventory (MTI) Phase II

Onondaga County
City of Syracuse - $7,500: Eastwood Community Tree Planting
Onondaga County - $75,000: Clinton/Near West Side Green Initiative

Ontario County
City of Geneva - $20,000: Shadetree Planting Project

Orange County
City of Newburgh - $11,900: Urban Tree-Steading

Otsego County
Milford Village - $19,500: Community Forestry Program

Putnam County
Village of Cold Spring - $5,071: Cold Spring Trees Project

Rensselaer County
Capital District Community Gardens - $20,000: Municipal Street Tree Planting Program

Richmond County
New York City Greenbelt - $75,000: Natural Area Inventory and Mapping

Saratoga County
City of Saratoga Springs - $20,000: Urban and Community Forest Project

Schenectady County
ReTree Schenectady - $10,000: Schenectady Tree Project

Steuben County
Village of Bath - $5,460: Complete Street Tree Inventory and Management Plan

Suffolk County
Town of Babylon - $20,000: Street Tree Inventory
Village of Greenport - $12,000: Arbor Day (Tree Inventory and Management Plan)
Village of Patchogue - $15,702: 2008 Village Tree Planting Project

Ulster County
Village of New Paltz - $9,956: Tree Management and Benefit Enhancement Project

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