On November 20, 2012, the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) approved $994,878 of urban forestry grants for communities around New York.  The grants were made available by Governor Cuomo’s funding of $134 million to the New York Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). 

The grants will help communities plant more trees, take tree inventories, and develop management plans as well.  A total of 66 cities, villages, towns, and not-for-profit organizations received large and small community grants. 

9 other communities received a $1,000 Quick Start grant to help plan tree planting programs and activities on Arbor Day. 

Large Community Grants totaled $382,299, small community grant totaled $603,589, and “Quick Start” grants totaled $8,990. 

The following recipients receive large community grants:

·  City Parks Foundation

·  City of Rochester, Forestry Division

·  Myrtle Avenue Revitalization Project LDC

·  Trees New York

·  New York Restoration Project

·  CEC Stuyvesant Cove d/b/a Solar one

·  Syracuse Department of Parks, Recreation, and Youth Program

·   County of Onondaga

·   Wave Hill Incorporated

·   Erie County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Forestry

·   Gowanus Canal Conservancy, Inc

·   Friends of Mount Hope Cemetary

The recipients of the rewards were chosen after population density, economic status, and the needs of underserved communities were accounted. 

The following cities, towns, villages, and not-for-profits received small community grants:

·   City of Geneva

·   City of Oswego

·   City of Plattsburgh

·   City of Poughkeepsie

·   City of Rome

·   Town of Cheektowaga

·   Town of Greece

·   Town of Huntington

·   Town of Irondequoit

·   Town of Lancaster

·   Town of Tonawanda

·   Village of Freeport

·   Town of Amherst

·   Nassau County Department of Public Works

·   Village of Webster

·   City of Tonawanda

·   City of Fulton

·   City of Rome, New York

·   Village of Williamsville

·   Village of Penn Yan

·   Village of Bath

·   Parks and Forestry, City of Ithaca

·   Town of Cortlandville

·   Village of Great Neck Plaza, Inc.

·   Town of Clarkson

·   Village of Adams, New York

·   City of Elmira

·   Village of Canton

·   Town of Monroe Conservation Commission

·   Village of Fayetteville

·   Village of Owego

·   Town of Ulster

·   Village of Fairport

·   City of Norwich

·   City of Newburgh, c/o Shade Tree Commission

·   Town of Trenton

·   Village of Hastings-on-Hudson, New York

·   Village of Homer

·   Village of Scottsville

·   The Village of Saugerties Tree Commission

·   Town of Forestport

·   Village of Angola

·   Village of Pelham

·   Village of Brockport

·   Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau

DEC Commissioner Joe Martens stated, “Urban forestry programs are vital in promoting clean air, clean water, energy savings, habitat creation and improved quality of life for New York residents.”

Source: New York Department of Environmental Conservation