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Part of the grant money will be used to eliminate invasive plants |
We'll use the money to write management plans for two of our preserves - the 105-acre Frederick P. Rose Preserve in Cross River and the 45-acre Hunter Brook Preserve in Yorktown. The management plans will help us balance public use and natural habitat protection.
Here's an excerpt from the Land Trust Alliance's press release:
DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis joined members of the New York State Legislature and local land trust representatives in announcing 52 grants totaling $825,000 to 40 local and regional land trust organizations across New York State.
This year's land trust grant awards represent an unprecedented investment in New York's land trusts that will help make New York's communities better places to live and work.
"Land trusts are an invaluable partner to state and local governments in the implementation of smart growth principles," said Commissioner Grannis. "The success of this partnership is reflected by the record $1.575 million set aside for the program in this year's state budget. Further, the growth shows that the conservation program strikes a chord with communities around the state."
The land trust grants are administered through the New York State Conservation Partnership Program, a pioneering public-private initiative administered by the Land Trust Alliance and overseen by DEC.
The New York State Conservation Partnership Program helps land trusts create new nature preserves and save environmentally important lands including wildlife habitat, sensitive watersheds, wetlands and aquifer recharge areas, and working farms and forests across the state.
The grants will allow local community-based organizations to do more in conserving natural areas and important open space in their communities.