These funds support cooperative forestry through forest health, forest stewardship, urban and community forestry, volunteer fire capacity, and state fire capacity programs

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Region 9 (Eastern Region), awarded the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation $6,011,462 through the Cooperative Forestry Assistance program (CFDA 10.664) on August 21, 2025, for a project performance period extending through December 31, 2029. This Project Grant supports multiple cooperative forestry initiatives designed to enhance forest health, wildfire preparedness, and community resilience across New York State.

The award funds five core program areas: Forest Health, Forest Stewardship, Urban and Community Forestry, Volunteer Fire Capacity, and State Fire Capacity. Under Forest Health, the program provides technical assistance to landowners and partners, supports management and biocontrol activities, and implements outreach and prevention strategies to detect and manage forest health threats. The Urban and Community Forestry program delivers financial, technical, and educational assistance to local governments and community organizations for planning forestry programs and managing community trees. The State Fire Assistance and Volunteer Fire Capacity components focus on wildfire prevention, suppression, and rural fire service enhancement through training, equipment provision, communication infrastructure improvements, water supply capacity development, and firefighter safety initiatives, with particular emphasis on serving at-risk communities.

Core funding supports foundational forest health program capacity for detecting, managing, and preventing forest health threats across new york. The program provides technical assistance to landowners and partners, supports limited management and biocontrol activities, and promotes outreach, education and prevention strategies. The purpose of the urban and community forestry program is to provide financial, technical, educational, and related assistance that helps units of local government and others to plan urban forestry programs and to plant, protect, maintain, and utilize wood from community trees and forests. Funding provided through state fire assistance is focused to address critical preparedness needs and hazard mitigation. Projects funded will result in preventing and extinguishing wildland fires. The volunteer fire capacity program authorizes expenditure of federal funding to prevent and suppress rural fires and enhancing protection capabilities by assisting rural communities with training, equipping and organizing fire service. Funds are focused on serving at risk communities and supporting needs including firefighter safety, training, enhancing community water supply and delivery capabilities, communications, and equipment.