New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced more than $2.2 million in Conservation Partnership Program grants for 50 not-for-profit land trusts across the state.
A total of 69 grants funded through New York’s Environmental Protection Fund will leverage an additional $2.6 million in private and local funding to support projects that protect water quality and farmland, boost public access for outdoor recreation, and conserve open space to benefit community health, tourism, and economic development.
In addition, the $2.2 million in Conservation Partnership Program grants and $2.6 million in private and local funding will increase state lands’ resilience to the changing climate and contribute to climate solutions by storing carbon. Natural climate solutions will have a significant role in addressing risks associated with climate change.
The grant awards range from $3,161 to $100,000, and include:
Western New York/Finger Lakes/Southern Tier – (total $268,393)
Buffalo Niagara River Land Trust: Capacity Grant $18,750
Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy: Transaction Grant $40,000
Finger Lakes Land Trust: Transaction Grant $19,000
Genesee Land Trust: Capacity Grant $35,000; Transaction Grant $24,580
Grassroots Gardens WNY: Capacity Grants $56,063
The Nature Sanctuary Society of Western New York: Capacity Grant $25,000
Western New York Land Conservancy: Transaction Grant $50,000
Central New York/Mohawk Valley – (total $170,450)
Cazenovia Preservation Foundation: Capacity Grants $42,450
Central New York Land Trust: Professional Development Grant $80,000
Otsego Land Trust: Professional Development Grant $48,000
North Country – (total $351,649)
Adirondack Land Trust: Capacity Grants $51,754
Champlain Area Trails: Capacity Grant $28,500; Transaction Grant $34,725
Indian River Lakes Conservancy: Capacity Grant $37,500
Lake Placid Land Conservancy: Capacity Grants $25,000
Northeast Wilderness Trust: Catalyst Grant $40,000; Stewardship & Resource Management Grant $12,000
Thousand Islands Land Trust: Stewardship & Resource Management Grant $50,000; Transaction Grant $36,980
Tug Hill Tomorrow: Land Trust Capacity Grant $23,830; Transaction Grant $11,360
Capital District – (total $647,946)
Agricultural Stewardship Association: Capacity Grant $28,900; Stewardship & Resource Management Grant $50,000
American Farmland Trust: Catalyst Grant $40,000
Battenkill Conservancy: Capacity Grant $30,000
Capital Roots: Transaction Grant $18,000
Columbia Land Conservancy: Catalyst Grant $74,600
Grassland Bird Trust: Capacity Grant $30,000
Greene Land Trust: Capacity Grant $29,300
Huyck Preserve and Biological Resource Station: Capacity Grant $32,975; Transaction Grant $11,100
Lake George Land Conservancy: Stewardship & Resource Management Grant $23,300
Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy: Professional Development Grant $33,710
The Nature Conservancy: Catalyst Grant $60,000
Northeastern Cave Conservancy: Transaction Grant $3,161
Rensselaer Land Trust: Professional Development Grant $60,000; Transaction Grant $23,000
Rensselaer Plateau Alliance: Transaction Grant $47,700
Saratoga PLAN: Capacity Grant $36,000; Transaction Grant $16,200
Mid-Hudson – (total $636,644)
Dutchess Land Conservancy: Professional Development Grant $100,000
Friends of the Great Swamp (FrOGS): Stewardship & Resource Management Grant $22,500
Hudson Highlands Land Trust: Catalyst Grant $50,000
Kingston Land Trust: Transaction Grants $54,994
Mianus River Gorge Preserve: Stewardship & Resource Management Grant $38,500
Mohonk Preserve: Capacity Grant $14,000; Stewardship & Resource Management Grant $40,000
Open Space Institute: Stewardship & Resource Management Grant $40,000
Orange County Land Trust: Catalyst Grant $35,000
Pound Ridge Land Conservancy: Capacity Grant $30,000; Transaction Grant $18,800
Scenic Hudson Land Trust: Catalyst Grant $60,000
Wallkill Valley Land Trust: Capacity Grant $12,000; Stewardship & Resource Management Grant $19,500
Westchester Land Trust: Stewardship & Resource Management Grant $38,000; Transaction Grant $24,000
Winnakee Land Trust: Capacity Grant $30,000
Woodstock Land Conservancy: Capacity Grant $9,350
New York City – (total $24,418)
Green Guerillas: Capacity Grant $24,418
Long Island – (total $150,500)
HL Ferguson Museum: Catalyst Grant: $32,000
North Shore Land Alliance: Stewardship & Resource Management Grant $40,000
Peconic Land Trust: Stewardship & Resource Management Grant $34,500; Transaction Grant $44,000
This year’s grantees include 34 accredited land trusts that have secured independent verification that their work and operations meet high standards for land conservation, stewardship, and nonprofit management. Accredited grantees include Adirondack Land Trust, Agricultural Stewardship Association, Cazenovia Preservation Foundation, Champlain Area Trails, Columbia Land Conservancy, Dutchess Land Conservancy, Finger Lakes Land Trust, Genesee Land Trust, Greene Land Trust, Huyck Preserve, Hudson Highlands Land Trust, Indian River Lakes Conservancy, Lake George Land Conservancy, Mianus River Gorge, Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy, Mohonk Preserve, Northeast Wilderness Trust, North Shore Land Alliance, Open Space Institute, Orange County Land Trust, Otsego Land Trust, Peconic Land Trust, Rensselaer Land Trust, Rensselaer Plateau Alliance, Saratoga PLAN (Saratoga Preserving Land and Nature), Scenic Hudson Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy, Thousand Islands Land Trust, Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust, Wallkill Valley Land Trust, Westchester Land Trust, Western New York Land Conservancy, Winnakee Land Trust, and Woodstock Land Conservancy.
Since the Conservation Partnership Program’s inception in 2002, and including this year’s grants, the program has awarded 997 grants totaling $21.7 million to 91 land trusts. Cumulatively, the State’s investment has leveraged $23.8 million in additional funding from local and private sources.
The Land Trust Alliance administers the Conservation Partnership Program in coordination with DEC.
A detailed breakdown of these grants is available on the DEC website.
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