Governor wants 25 million trees planted by 2033

Press Release, Department of Environmental Conservation

The state Department of Environmental Conservation has released for public comment new proposed eligibility guidelines improve, expand, and assess the state’s forestry efforts on public and private lands under the historic $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022.

The guidelines will help support implementation of Governor Kathy Hochul’s initiative to plant 25 million trees by 2033 by building capacity for production of plant materials and investing in a comprehensive data tracking and management system for forestry projects.

“Growing New York’s next generation of forests is vital to ensuring community resiliency and fighting climate change, and the guidelines released today are an important step in advancing Governor Kathy Hochul’s commitment to plant 25 million trees by 2033,” DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said. “The modernization and expansion of our tree nursery capacity and a new tree planting database will ensure our aggressive tree planting efforts directly benefit communities statewide, and I encourage New Yorkers to provide input on this Bond Act-supported initiative.”

To further achieve New York’s climate goals, Governor Hochul’s 2024 State of the State Address and Executive Budget included $47 million to support a new goal of planting 25 million trees statewide by 2033.

This goal will invigorate our state’s tree planting efforts, send an unmistakable market signal to private nurseries, advance efforts to meet the Climate Act’s net-zero goal, and grow the state’s vital forest products industry. Capital investments through the Bond Act and other state sources, and multi-year annual grants to municipalities to plant trees in support of resilient reforestation and urban forests, are key components of this initiative.

Governor Hochul will also prioritize tree planting in urban areas to mitigate potential extreme heat, as cities warm faster than rural areas. These efforts will also engage youth across the state through education and planting programs to foster a conservation ethic, inspire the next generation of environmental stewards, and create deeper connections about the importance of trees for the environment, climate, and public health.

To put New York on a path to achieve these goals, the State will provide annual grants to municipalities over three years to plant trees to support resilient reforestation and urban forests.

To assist with tracking the progress made with these upgrades and other ongoing forestry initiatives, the guidelines support investing Bond Act funding to create a database for tracking forest stand asset creation, tree planting, inventory, assessment, management and monitoring, and data dashboards reporting on acreage and type of land conserved.

The database will help meet New York State’s 30 x 30 goal to conserve 30 percent of the state’s land and water by 2030 and mandates for modelling forest carbon sequestration and storage that contribute to achieving New York State’s climate goals. The database would also enhance collaboration among DEC programs, stakeholders, and other partners by providing a platform for sharing information and coordinating landscape-wide reforestation efforts, particularly in disadvantaged communities, on both private and public properties.

Public comments on the draft guidelines may be submitted in writing to: Division of Lands and Forests, NYS DEC, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12223, or by email to dec.sm.urbanforestry@dec.ny.gov. Public comments will be accepted through March 8.