Glen Cove Wins $25K Urban Forestry Grant

GLEN COVE, NY — The City of Glen Cove has been awarded $25,706 from New York State for ash tree management.

It is one of more than $7.1 million in Urban and Community Forestry Grants in New York funded by the U.S. Forest Service through the historic Inflation Reduction Act.

The selected projects represent a collaborative effort between local governments, nonprofit organizations, and community groups to create more equitable and resilient urban forests in the face of increased storms and extreme heat driven by climate change.

Mayor Pamela Panzenbeck said Elizabeth Mestres of the Glen Cove Beautification Commission and Koorosh Leibowitz, the city's grants administrator, worked on achieving the grant.

"We are so happy to be the beneficiaries of grants such as this and have employees such as Liz and Koorosh to help us take advantage of these opportunities," she said.

The grants are administered through DEC's Urban and Community Forestry Program, which works to increase public awareness of the importance of trees and helps communities to create healthy forests while enriching quality of life for residents.

The grants will support 23 urban forestry projects, mostly in disadvantaged communities most burdened by environmental pollution and the effects of climate change. The awards directly complement Gov. Kathy Hochul’s 2024 State of the State commitment to plant 25 million trees by 2033 and recent commitments through the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act and other New York State investments to cultivate greener, healthier communities, state officials said.

"More trees mean a greener and cleaner environment and a better community for all. I’m grateful for Governor Hochul’s partnership ensuring that these federal dollars are put to good use building a cooler and greener future for New York," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said.