New York Governor Kathy Hochul announces $1.35 million available to protect New York forests
Funding is available through the Forest Conservation Easements for Land Trusts program. The investment galvanizes the partnership to protect New York's forests and advances Governor Hochul's conservation goals.
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that $1.35 million is now available to protect New York’s forestlands. The Forest Conservation Easements for Land Trusts (FCELT) Grant Program enables eligible, accredited land trusts to apply for up to $350,000 to purchase conservation easements on forested land in New York State for the purpose of protecting these lands and realizing their numerous economic and environmental benefits.
“Investments in forest conservation move New York closer to our bold goal of protecting 30 percent of the state’s lands and water by 2030, which in turn protects wildlife habitat, preserves biodiversity, protects air and water quality, and helps combat the impacts of climate change,” Governor Hochul said. “Supporting these public-private partnerships is crucial to protecting essential forest habitat and advancing our open space protection goals.”
The Forest Conservation Easements for Land Trusts grants help increase the pace of forest land conservation to protect the vital ecosystem services that forests provide, including helping combat climate change. The grants are administered by the Land Trust Alliance in coordination with the State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Funding for the grant program is provided by the State’s Environmental Protection Fund (EPF), a critical resource for environmental programs such as land acquisition, farmland protection, invasive species prevention and eradication, recreation access, water quality improvement, and environmental justice projects. The Governor's FY 2025 Executive Budget maintains EPF funding at $400 million, the highest level of funding in the program's history.
“Protecting New York’s forests is central to achieving our climate goals and safeguarding air and water quality, and this $1.35 million investment by the Governor will provide direct support to land trusts as we advance partnerships to achieve our forest conservation goals," said Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos. "We encourage all eligible land trusts to apply and advance the state's land protection strategies.”
Only land trusts accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission may apply. A 25% match is required. Interested applicants must submit an overview of their proposed project by May 10, 2024, as part of the pre-application process. Submitting a full application is by invitation only and those invited to do so will be notified by June 14, 2024. Projects selected for FCELT grants should further goals and/or strategies identified in the New York State Open Space Plan, the New York State Wildlife Action Plan, the New York State Forest Action Plan and/or other local, regional or statewide land protection plans. Complete details about this grant opportunity can be found on the FCELT webpage.
"Thank you to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Governor Hochul and the state legislature for this commitment to protecting our state’s forests," said Jamie Brown, the Land Trust Alliance's New York program manager. "New York’s land trust community is grateful for this partnership and eager to continue their work of protecting and caring for our valuable forests so that the land can continue to benefit all New Yorker’s."
The grant opportunity announced today builds on New York’s ongoing efforts to protect open space through successful partnerships. Last week, Governor Hochul announced a historic agreement to permanently protect more than 14,600 acres of ecologically rare and culturally significant natural resources in the Adirondacks through two conservation easements and a research consortium initiative with The Nature Conservancy. The public-private research consortium will guide scientific research of a globally rare ecosystem at Follensby Pond, and the conservation easements will provide new public recreational access to Raquette River Watershed.
About the Land Trust Alliance
Founded in 1982, the Land Trust Alliance is a national land conservation organization working to save the places people need and love by empowering and mobilizing land trusts in communities across America to conserve land for the benefit of all. The Alliance represents approximately 1,000 member land trusts and affiliates supported by more than 250,000 volunteers and 6.3 million members nationwide. The Alliance is based in Washington, D.C., with staff working in communities across the U.S. Find more information.