25-04-2025
Gov. Hochul announces $1.6 million in grants to Southern Tier reforestation effort
ALBANY, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – As part of a $15 million statewide effort to restore and expand forests near urban communities, Governor Kathy Hochul has awarded the Southern Tier nearly $1.6 million in grants to plant more trees.
'Resilient urban forests support community health, well-being and sustainability,' Hochul said. 'I'm celebrating Arbor Day 2025 by awarding $15 million in new grants to support projects across the State that will bring the countless ecological and economic benefits of trees to urban areas.'
Hochul says the effort is to help reduce high temperatures in urbanized areas, known as the 'urban heat island effect.' Studies show that forested natural areas 'can be as much as 10 degrees cooler than under the shade of a street tree just a few hundred feet away.'
Broome County's Nuthatch Hollow Forest Restoration will receive $311,841 to allow SUNY Binghamton to plant trees and shrubs across 29 acres of the land.
Delaware County's SUNY Oneonta Forest Restoration gets $484,910 to plant over 9,600 native trees and remove 'invasive species.'
Tioga County's Upper Susquehanna Coalition Forest Restoration will get $802,091 to reforest 71 acres of forests at 48 different sites within the Chesapeake Bay watershed, with the goal of planting 22,000 trees.
Gov. Hochul made the grant announcement in celebration of Arbor Day.
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