On April 24th Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced $1.4 million in Conservation Partnership Program grants for 50 nonprofit land trusts across the State with the purpose of boosting tourism and public access. PCLT was one of fifty organizations to receive a portion of the competitive grant funding. The $9,000 grant will enable the all-volunteer Putnam County Land Trust to further implement Land Trust Standards and Practices with a focus on Fee Land Stewardship procedures, including new management plans for four of PCLT’s public nature preserves.
Representatives of the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Land Trust Alliance unveiled the grantees at an event at Indian Ladder Farms in Albany County as part of a weeklong celebration of Earth Day. The grants, funded through the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF), will be matched by nearly $1.1 million in private and local funding and will support projects to protect farmland, enhance public access and recreational opportunities, and conserve open space.Funding for priority conservation projects and land trust initiatives around the state will help communities protect water quality, wildlife habitat, community gardens, working forests and farmland. The Conservation Partnership Program funding will also enhance public access to trails and other recreation areas while enabling land trusts to implement best practices, hire professional staff, and strengthen community partnerships.