GUIDELINES AND BID INSTRUCTIONS

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

Urban and Community Forestry Program 2026 Community Reforestation (CoRe) Grant

(Round 2)

NYS SFS Grants Management Bid Event ID No.: CoRe 2026 Apply through the SFS Vendor Portal

Bid (Application) Due Date: 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 4, 2026

Timetable of Key Events:

Open Bid (Application) Period Begins 8:30 am Thursday, August 6, 2026 Webinar 1:00 pm Thursday, August 20, 2026 Question & Answer Period Ends 2:00 p.m. Wednesday October 28, 2026 Bids (Applications) Due 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 4, 2026 Awards Announced By (anticipated) January 2027

Click to register for the informational webinar: https://meetny-gov.webex.com/weblink/register/rb54ba5fe85493b94f244ec1a0b813435 https://esupplier.sfs.ny.gov/psc/fscm/SUPPLIER/ERP/c/NUI_FRAMEWORK.PT_LANDINGPAGE.GBL?& https://meetny-gov.webex.com/weblink/register/rb54ba5fe85493b94f244ec1a0b813435 https://meetny-gov.webex.com/weblink/register/rb54ba5fe85493b94f244ec1a0b813435

Table of Contents

1. Grant Information

a) Funding

b) Proposed Project Timeframes

c) Minimum and Maximum Award Amounts

d) Bid Limit/Award limit

e) Eligible Project Locations

2. Eligible Bidders

3. Inquiries & Designated Contact Information

4. Bid Submission

a) Bidder Prequalification

c) Match Requirement and Expenditures

d) Work Plan

h) Sexual Harassment Prevention Certification

i) Executive Order 16

j) Attachment G: Gender-Based Violence and the Workplace Certification

6. Project Types/Practices

a) Eligible CoRe Practices

b) Alignment with Natural Resources Conservation Service EQIP Practices

c) Afforestation/Reforestation Practice

d) Forest Stand Restoration/ Competing Vegetation Control Practice

7. Eligible and Ineligible Expenditures

8. Bidder Evaluation, Scoring and Selection

9. Method of Award

10. Grant Program Reporting

11. What to Expect If You Receive an Award

I. Insurance Requirements

II. Permit Requirements (if applicable)

III. State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) Documentation

c) Vendor Responsibility Questionnaire

e) Minority and Women Business Enterprise (MWBE) and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Requirements

f) Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business (SDVOB) Participation Requirements

12. Grant Program Payment

Appendix 1. NYS DEC Urban Foresters

Appendix 2. CoRe Eligibility Map Methodology

APPENDIX 3- EXPENDITURE BASE BUDGET

EXPENDITURE BASED BUDGET EXAMPLE SUMMARY

Appendix 5:Community Reforestation (CoRe) Practice Template

INSTRUCTIONS

Section 1. General Information

Section 2. Current Forest Stand Conditions

Section 3. Afforestation/Reforestation Practice

Section 4. Forest Stand Restoration & Competing Vegetation Control

Section 5. Deer Exclosure

1. Grant Information

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is pleased to announce the second round of the Community Reforestation (CoRe) Grant program. CoRe projects will expand, restore, and establish healthy forested natural areas in or near urban communities across New York State.

Forested natural areas are an essential component of the urban forest, which also includes trees in parks, front and backyards, along streets and other roadways. The urban forest exists across different property ownership types and land uses. In many urban areas, forested natural areas are a critical if sometimes overlooked component of the tree canopy. In New York City, for example, forested natural areas make up a quarter of the total existing tree canopy and contain 70% of the city’s trees. And urban forested natural areas act as essential green infrastructure. Healthy forested natural areas provide the greatest cooling benefits of all urban greenspace types, improve water and air quality, provide wildlife habitat, increase biodiversity, reduce stormwater runoff, and moderate extreme heat. And from a statewide perspective, urban natural forested areas are critically impactful tools for combatting climate change and achieving carbon neutrality: a study by the Natural Areas Conservancy found that natural area forests store almost four times more carbon than the street tree population, making up two-thirds of the carbon stored in New York City.

Considering more than 85% of New Yorkers live in or near an urban community, expanding and restoring tree canopy at the local level is extremely important for improving overall community health and well-being and achieving statewide tree equity. In the 2024 State of the State address, Governor Hochul launched the 25 Million Trees by 2033 Initiative to recognize the importance of trees and forests for climate mitigation and community resilience. Planting trees and growing and restoring forests helps confer the multiple benefits of trees, mitigate the impacts of climate change and increase resiliency and adaptation for future generations.

Projects funded through this grant program will utilize afforestation and reforestation practices to establish new areas of forest on non-forest areas, supplement existing seedlings in existing forests or replant trees after a disturbance, restore forest stands and control competing vegetation to increase overall forest health resilience for the long term, and use fences or a natural slash wall barrier to prevent deer browse as appropriate and necessary. For additional guidance on how to expand and restore forests in New York see the Reforestation & Afforestation Guide, developed by The Nature Conservancy in partnership with DEC.

a) Funding

Approximately $20 million is available for this round of the CoRe Grant Program. Up to $4 million of this amount is available to State agencies, State authorities and State public benefit corporations. Of the $16 million available to all other eligible bidders, up to $4 million is available for smaller projects ($300,000 to $500,000). Should new funding become available, DEC may make additional awards to support bids received in this grant round. Funding for this grant opportunity is provided by the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022.

Applicants should request the amount of funding they can demonstrate is appropriate and reasonable for their project and supported in their application. Advance payments of up to 25% of the awarded https://naturalareasnyc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/carbon-report_handout_final_august5.pdf https://naturalareasnyc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/carbon-report_handout_final_august5.pdf https://fic.naturalareasnyc.org/docs/care-of-forested-nautral-areas https://naturalareasnyc.org/research-publications/cooling-cities-harnessing-natural-areas-to-combat-urban-heat https://fic.naturalareasnyc.org/docs/carbon-accounting-for-new-york-city-natural-area-forests https://fic.naturalareasnyc.org/docs/carbon-accounting-for-new-york-city-natural-area-forests https://www.treeequityscore.org/insights/state/NY#5.81/43.323/-75.364 https://dec.ny.gov/nature/forests-trees/climate-change/25-million-trees https://www.sleloinvasives.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Reforestation-and-Afforestation-Guide-TNC.pdf grant amount may be available to not-for-profit grantees.

This is a reimbursement grant. The awardee must pay costs up front before receiving reimbursement by DEC.

b) Proposed Project Timeframes

All projects must have defined objectives, tasks, and deliverables accounted for in performance measures that can be completed and invoiced within a five-year contract period/term. Costs outside of the contract period/term are ineligible. The Master Contract for Grants (MCG) must be fully approved by DEC, and if applicable approved by the Attorney General and the State Comptroller. Time extensions beyond the contract term end date may be allowed and will be determined by the Department based upon written justification from the Bidder. Bidders should not submit a bid if they do not anticipate their project can be completed within the specified contract term.

c) Minimum and Maximum Award Amounts

Minimum grant amount is $300,000. Maximum grant amount is $3,000,000. Bids below the minimum grant amount, or above the maximum grant amount will be deemed ineligible and not be scored.

d) Bid Limit/Award limit

Bidders may submit one application with multiple project sites. Bidders are limited to one application/ bid. Additional grants for qualifying projects will be awarded to an entity already receiving a grant award in this grant round, starting with the next highest scoring bid in accordance with the scoring criteria. If multiple bids are received, only the first bid submitted will be reviewed based on the timestamp of submission. A second bid to correct errors or omissions in the first application will be accepted, however the bidder needs to notify DEC via email at urbanforestry@dec.ny.gov of the second correcting bid before the end of the application period.

e) Eligible Project Locations

Eligible projects for grant funding must be located:

1. On non-federal public properties (i.e. state, county, municipal), privately owned land that is open to the public (i.e. preserves, land trusts, cemeteries); or federally and state recognized Tribal reservation land.

2. Within the boundaries identified by the CoRe Grant eligibility map. See Appendix 2 for methodology used to determine eligible project areas.

During the first round of the CoRe grant offering, DEC was informed that many Indian nations and tribes are historically underrepresented in the U.S. Census, and thus their community’s demographic data is not reflected in subsequent analyses that rely on Census Data, including the CoRe Eligibility Map.

Indian nations or tribes recognized by the State or the United States with a reservation wholly or partly within the boundaries of New York State are already considered eligible applicants. If an Indian https://nysdec.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/lookup/index.html?appid=c97a1da86a0d477f9b715081ddc19b06 nation or tribe is not included as having eligible land on the CoRe Eligibility Map but has in-house population data that contradicts their exclusion in this version of the map and believes they should be considered geographically eligible, they are encouraged to reach out to DEC with said data.

Private property, other than what is described above, is not eligible for this bid opportunity.

2. Eligible Bidders For the purposes of this grant program, the following entities are considered eligible bidders:

• New York State municipalities, a local public authority or public benefit corporation, a county, city, town, village, school district, supervisory district, district corporation, improvement district within a county, city, town or village, water authorities, and/or soil and water conservation districts.

• Indian nations or tribes recognized by the State or the United States with a reservation wholly or partly within the boundaries of New York State, or any combination thereof.

• 501(c)(3) not-for-profit (NFP) corporations whose projects are located within the eligible geographic boundaries defined in this document.

o Nonprofits must receive approved prequalification status prior to bid submission and execution of contracts. Grant proposals from nonprofits that are not Prequalified in SFS at the bid due date and time will be disqualified from further consideration. To become prequalified, a nonprofit must first register with Statewide Financial System (SFS). Once registered, nonprofits complete an online Prequalification application.

Nonprofits are strongly encouraged to begin the Prequalification process as soon as possible.

• NYS Agencies (NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; State University of New York (including individual campuses); etc.), Note: Individuals and unincorporated groups may not apply but an eligible organization, known as a fiscal sponsor, may apply on behalf of an unincorporated group.

If a proposed project involves a cooperative agreement or partners, only one eligible, designated lead bidder can submit the bid for grant funding. The lead bidder must assume the responsibility for the project bid, performance of work consistent with this document, and the State of New York Master Contract for Grants. Letters substantiating the collaboration from each partner are required.

These letters are to be uploaded to the SFS Grants Management system in a single PDF under the appropriate question for the bid.

3. Inquiries & Designated Contact Information

For general information on completing this bid and for clarification of bid requirements, contractual terms and procedures, contact:

• DEC Regional Urban Foresters (Appendix 1) are available for consultation on projects throughout the entire open grant period. All bidders should discuss their project with their regional urban forester early in the planning process.

• DEC Urban Forestry team at urbanforestry@dec.ny.gov and include “CoRe 2026” in the subject line of the email for questions regarding this grant opportunity. Questions will be accepted by DEC until C.O.B. 2:00 p.m. Wednesday October 28, 2026. All questions, and answers, will be uploaded in the Grants Management System Bid Event for all bidders to view.

For technical information regarding the Grants Management Bid Event, direct questions to:

NYS SFS Grants Management Contact Information: helpdesk@sfs.ny.gov | 877-737-4185 toll-free | 518-457-7737

4. Bid Submission

Bids must be submitted through the NYS SFS Grants Management System Using Google Chrome to access the SFS Grants Management System (GM) is recommended. Using other browsers may cause errors.

If you do not have access to the SFS Vendor Portal and if your organization is already established within the SFS Vendor portal, an SFS Delegated Administrator has been authorized within your organization to provision user login credentials, unlock accounts, or reset passwords. Please reach out to your SFS Delegated Administrator directly. If you don’t know who your Delegated Administrator is, please call SFS Help Desk at 518-457-7717, 855-233-8363.

If you do not have a login and you are new to the SFS Vendor portal and would like to establish an account for the purposes of doing business with the State of New York, contact the SFS Help Desk at 518-457-7717, 855-233-8363 or HelpDesk@sfs.ny.gov for more information.

Paper bids will ONLY be accepted for state agencies that cannot enter bids in SFS Grants Management. Bidders are strongly encouraged to submit their bids prior to the bid deadline. Late bids will not be accepted. Please note staff with a Bid Response Initiator role can begin a bid, but only staff with the Bid Response Submitter role can submit the bid response.

All Bidders must be Registered with SFS Grants Management to apply. Please visit the NYS SFS Grants Management System to register.

In addition to registration, not-for-profits must also be Prequalified at the time and date that the application is due. If you are not Prequalified at that time and date, your application will not be considered.

PLEASE DO NOT DELAY IN BEGINNING AND COMPLETING THE PREQUALIFICATION PROCESS.

PLEASE VISIT THE GRANTS MANAGEMENT Prequalification Page TO GET STARTED.

THE STATE RESERVES 5 DAYS TO REVIEW SUBMITTED PREQUALIFICATION APPLICATIONS.

PREQUALIFICATION APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED TO THE STATE FOR REVIEW LESS THAN 5

DAYS PRIOR TO CoRe APPLICATION DUE DATE MAY NOT BE CONSIDERED.

BIDDERS SHOULD NOT ASSUME THAT THEIR PREQUALIFICATION INFORMATION WILL BE

REVIEWED IF THEY DO NOT ADHERE TO THIS TIMEFRAME.

a) Bidder Prequalification

Pursuant to the New York State Division of Budget Bulletin H-1032 Revised, effective July 16, 2014, mailto:urbanforestry@dec.ny.gov https://esupplier.sfs.ny.gov/psc/fscm/SUPPLIER/ERP/c/NUI_FRAMEWORK.PT_LANDINGPAGE.GBL?&lp=ERP.SUPPLIER.NY_SUP_PUB_HOMEPG_FL& https://esupplier.sfs.ny.gov/psc/fscm/SUPPLIER/ERP/c/NUI_FRAMEWORK.PT_LANDINGPAGE.GBL?&lp=ERP.SUPPLIER.NY_SUP_PUB_HOMEPG_FL& https://esupplier.sfs.ny.gov/psc/fscm/SUPPLIER/ERP/c/NUI_FRAMEWORK.PT_LANDINGPAGE.GBL?&lp=ERP.SUPPLIER.NY_SUP_PUB_HOMEPG_FL& https://grantsmanagement.ny.gov/get-prequalified

New York State has instituted key reform initiatives to the grant contract. Information on these initiatives can be found on the Grants Management Website.

All Bidders must be Prequalified in the SFS Grants Management System at the time and date that the bid is due. Bids from non-prequalified entities will be rejected. The system will not allow you to submit your bid.

The SFS Handbook: SFS Training for Vendors guide is available on SFS Coach and includes guidance for prequalification. Additional training is available on SFS Coach SFS Grants Management System.

5. Grant Opportunity General Information and Conditions

a) Grant Program Payment

Advance payments of up to 25% of the awarded grant amount may be available to not-for-profit bidders once a NYS Contract for Grants has been fully approved by all applicable State agencies. Only not-for-profits are eligible to receive advance payments under State Finance Law.

Project costs eligible for reimbursement and project match must be incurred between the NYS Contract for Grants term start and end dates. Costs incurred prior to the NYS Contract for Grants term start date or after the NYS Contract for Grants term end date will not be considered eligible for grant reimbursement or match. Copies of supporting cost documentation (paid invoices, receipts, cancelled checks, etc.) must be audited and approved by the DEC for costs to be eligible for grant reimbursement.

b) Expenditure Based Budget

Bidders must complete an itemized budget in the SFS Grants Management that provides details of the proposed project-related expenses. Budget detail must clearly distinguish between expenses to be claimed under the State grant share and expenses comprising the match. The itemized budget should also include appropriate level of information for the breakdown of costs for each budget item (depending on the budget category, this information is provided in the budget detail and/or budget narrative) Eligible and ineligible costs are identified in this RFA. A project’s reasonableness of costs is at least 20% of the evaluation factor in the scoring of the bid therefore, attention to budget accuracy will increase your project score.

Project cost-effectiveness will account for at least 20% of a bid score as identified in the evaluation criteria section of this RFA. (you may require bidders to answer a program question and/or upload documentation that may support their claims of cost effectiveness, e.g., vendor quotes in the GM that will support cost effectiveness criteria).

c) Match Requirement and Expenditures

Match funds are not required for this grant.

d) Work Plan

Bidders must complete a work plan in the SFS GM that provides a clear overview of the project. Bids must include proposed project objectives, tasks associated with meeting each objective, and the https://esupplier.sfs.ny.gov/psc/fscm/SUPPLIER/ERP/c/NUI_FRAMEWORK.PT_LANDINGPAGE.GBL?&lp=ERP.SUPPLIER.NY_SUP_PUB_HOMEPG_FL performance measures associated with each task (performance measures can include desired project outcomes or deliverables). The work plan may include anticipated time frames in meeting project objectives, tasks and deliverables. Time frames must be consistent with the timeline bidders are required to upload in the GM. See sample Work Plan in Appendix 4.

e) Debriefing Request In accordance with section 163 of the NY State Finance Law, DEC must, upon request, provide a debriefing to any unsuccessful offeror that responded to the Program Overview, regarding the reasons that the proposal or bid submitted by the unsuccessful offeror was not selected for an award. An unsuccessful offeror wanting a debriefing must request a debriefing in writing, within fifteen calendar days of receipt of the notice that their proposal did not result in an award. Debriefings requested after fifteen calendar days may be denied.

f) Protest Procedure

DEC does not have a formal protest procedure; therefore, a bidder may file an initial protest with OSC’s Bureau of Contracts (BOC) after the Department has made a contract award. The protest must be in writing and filed with BOC within ten business days of notice of the contract award or if a debriefing has been requested by the interested party, within five business days of the debriefing (whichever is later).

If the interested party is not provided with notice of the contract award, the interested party may file a protest with BOC at any time after the contract award and prior to the Comptroller’s final action on the contract.

Formal protests concerning a pending contract award must be received within five (5) business days after the protesting party knows or should have known of the facts that constitute the basis of the formal protest.

The protest must be filed with:

Bureau Director at bidprotests@osc.ny.gov or Bureau of Contracts New York State Office of the State Comptroller 110 State Street, 11th Floor.

Albany, NY 12236

g) Department of Environmental Conservation Oversight

The Department of Environmental Conservation reserves the right to:

• Award additional and available funding for scored and ranked projects consistent with this grant opportunity.

• Award an agreement for any or all parts of the RFA in accordance with the method of award or withdrawal of the RFA at any time at the Department’s sole discretion.

• Award only one bid for funding in the event there are multiple bid submissions for a single project or for pieces of a single project.

• Award to the next highest scoring bid in the event bidder fails to negotiate a grant contract with the Department within 60 days of a grant award.

• Monitor the progress of all grant awards and withdraw grant funding if the bidder fails to make significant and timely progress on the project or fails to receive the necessary permissions and permits for the project.

• The Department reserves the right not to fund projects that are determined not to be mailto:bidprotests@osc.ny.gov consistent with NYS’s Smart Growth Public Infrastructure Policy Act.

• The Department reserves the right not to fund projects that are determined not to be consistent with the Climate Change Leadership and Community Protection Act or its’ implementing regulations.

• Reject any or all bids in response to the RFA at the agency’s sole discretion.

h) Sexual Harassment Prevention Certification

State Finance Law §139-l requires all bidders of grant funding to certify that they have a written policy addressing sexual harassment prevention in the workplace and provide annual sexual harassment training (that meets the Department of Labor’s model policy and training standards) to all its employees.

Where applying for grant funding is required pursuant to statute, rule or regulation, every bid submitted to the state or any public department or agency of the state must contain the following statement: “By submission of this bid, each bidder and each person signing on behalf of the bidder certifies, and in the case of a partnering bid each party thereto certifies as to its own organization, under penalty of perjury, that the bidder has and has implemented a written policy addressing sexual harassment prevention in the workplace and provides annual sexual harassment prevention training to all of its employees. Such policy shall, at a minimum, meet the requirements of section two hundred one g of the labor law.”

Bids that do not contain the certification will not be considered for award; provided however, that if the bidder cannot make the certification, the bidder may provide a signed statement with their bid detailing the reasons why the certification cannot be made. After review and consideration of such statement, the Department may reject the bid or may decide there are sufficient reasons to accept the bid without such certification.

Bidders are required to sign and upload the Sexual Harassment Prevention Certification form or upload a signed statement with their bid detailing the reasons why the certification cannot be provided. The certification form or statement must be signed by an authorized staff of the contractor, and dated after the application start date.

i) Executive Order 16

Executive Order No. 16 provides that “all Affected State Entities are directed to refrain from entering into any new contract or renewing any existing contract with an entity conducting business operations in Russia.” The complete text of Executive Order No. 16 can be found at https://www.governor.ny.gov/executive-order/no-16-prohibiting-state-agencies-and-authorities-contracting-businesses-conducting. The Executive Order remains in effect while sanctions against Russia imposed by the federal government are in effect. Accordingly, vendors who may be excluded from award because of current business operations in Russia are nevertheless encouraged to respond to solicitations to preserve their contracting opportunities in case the sanctions are lifted during a solicitation or even after award in the case of some solicitations. As defined in Executive Order No. 16, an “entity conducting business operations in Russia” means an institution or company, wherever located, conducting any commercial activity in Russia or transacting business with the Russian Government or with commercial entities headquartered in Russia or with their principal place of business in Russia in the form of contracting, sales, purchasing, investment, or any business partnership. Vendors responding to this solicitation are required to complete and submit the form entitled “Certification Under Executive Order No. 16 Prohibiting State Agencies and Authorities from Contracting with Businesses Conducting Business in Russia”.

https://www.governor.ny.gov/executive-order/no-16-prohibiting-state-agencies-and-authorities-contracting-businesses-conducting https://www.governor.ny.gov/executive-order/no-16-prohibiting-state-agencies-and-authorities-contracting-businesses-conducting

ALL bidders must download, complete, and save the Executive Order No. 16 Certification form, prior to uploading the completed form back into the GM. The certification form must be signed by an authorized staff of the contractor, and dated after the application start date.

j) Attachment G: Gender-Based Violence and the Workplace Certification

State Finance Law §139-m requires bidders on state procurements to certify that they have a written policy addressing gender-based violence and the workplace and have provided such policy to all of its employees, directors and board members. Such policy shall, at a minimum, meet the requirements of subdivision 11 of section five hundred seventy-five of the executive law.

Where competitive bidding is required pursuant to statute, rule or regulation, for work or services performed or to be performed or goods sold or to be sold, every bid made to the state or any public department or agency of the state must contain the following statement:

“By submission of this bid, each bidder and each person signing on behalf of any bidder certifies, and in the case of a joint bid each party thereto certifies as to its own organization, under penalty of perjury, that the bidder has and has implemented a written policy addressing gender-based violence and the workplace and has provided such policy to all of its employees, directors and board members. Such policy shall, at a minimum, meet the requirements of subdivision 11 of section five hundred seventy-five of the executive law.”

Bids that do not contain the certification will not be considered for award; provided however, that if the bidder cannot make the certification, the bidder shall provide a signed statement with their bid detailing the reasons why the certification cannot be made. After review and consideration of such statement, the Department may reject the bid or may decide that there are sufficient reasons to accept the bid without such certification.

Bidders are required to sign and submit the Gender-Based Violence and the Workplace Certification form, (Attachment G) If the bidder cannot make the certification then a signed statement must be submitted with the bid detailing the reasons why the certification cannot be made. The certification form must be signed by an authorized staff of the contractor, and dated after the application start date.

k) Letters of Permission/Municipal Endorsement

The bidder must own the property, or obtain an applicable access agreement, for the proposed project site.

• If the property is owned by the bidder– a copy of the current deed.

• If the property owner is a municipality – A resolution by the municipality supporting the project.

• If the property is not owned by the bidder– a formal written agreement between the bidder and landowner which allows the bidder access to the property, and represent the landowner, to accomplish the proposed project.

• If the bidder is a not-for-profit proposing a project on municipal property - a signed Municipal Endorsement. A municipal endorsement provides authorization for the not-for-profit to conduct the proposed project on municipal property.

6. Project Types/Practices

a) Eligible CoRe Practices

CoRe practices must be one of the following: 1) Afforestation/Restoration; 2) Forest Stand Restoration/Competing Vegetation Control; 3) Deer Exclosure; or 4) a combination of any or all practices.

Each practice has different requirements as reflected in standards and specifications. These specifications often align with the Natural Resource Conservation Services’ Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG) and the reference number is listed for each CoRe Practice.

Bidders should carefully review the practice information below, and the pass/fail eligibility criteria contained in the Guidelines to avoid disqualification. The Practice Template form with basic stand information and practice-specific information must be downloaded from the Event Comments and Attachments section of SFS GM or from Appendix 5 in this Bid Document, completed by the Bidder and uploaded to the SFS Grants Management Practice Template Question to be considered for funding.

b) Alignment with Natural Resources Conservation Service EQIP Practices

The requirements for implementation of these practices are reflected in the standards and specifications. Bidders should carefully review the practice information below or by the following aligned NRCS EQIP Practices.

• 314-Brush Management Practices

• 315-Herbaceous Weed Control

• 342-Critical Area Planting

• 382-Fence

• 391-Riparian Forest Buffer

• 490-Site preparation

• 528-Prescribed Grazing

• 612-Tree Planting

• 647-Early Succession Habitat o Wildlife Openings o Low shade removal o Overstory removal

To receive payment, the project must be installed to NRCS standards, or the stated standards listed in this Bid Document. A DEC forester will sign off on the execution of these standards.

The Urban and Community Forestry Program evaluates cost effectiveness based on local rates or the current year USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service Environmental Qualify Incentive Program (NRCS EQIP) cost rates for New York, which can be found here: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/getting-assistance/payment-schedules. These rates should serve as a guide for developing program costs, however real costs for practice implementation will be covered by this program as reasonable.

Note* NRCS EQIP Rates are only based on 75% of the full cost of practice installation, while the CoRe Grant will reimburse up to 100% of the project cost, including installation, labor, and materials. Please carefully consider these differences in project estimates. It is expected that bids for the CoRe Grant will be above NRCS’s EQIP reimbursement rate by at least a 25% margin.

c) Afforestation/Reforestation Practice https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/getting-assistance/payment-schedules https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/getting-assistance/payment-schedules

The goal of this practice is to establish new forests or supplement seedling regeneration in existing forest stands after a natural disturbance or treatment through planting trees. This practice cannot be used to establish plantations, orchards, ornamental, nursery or Christmas trees farms.

Aligned NRCS EQIP Practices

Funding is allowed for projects by the following aligned NRCS EQIP Practices, or the standards and specifications outlined in the section below, as they apply to the project. For Tree Planting practices, compare the NRCS EQIP cost rates for the practices below to the local rates for your project to evaluate cost effectiveness.

• 490-Site preparation

• 315-Herbaceous Weed Control

• 612-Tree Planting

• 342-Critical Area Planting

• 391-Riparian Forest Buffer

NOTE: Bidder is required to complete the General Site Conditions and Afforestation/Reforestation Sections of the Project Practice Plan Template Form and upload it as an attachment in the SFS Grants Management System.

This practice authorizes grant funds to be used for planting projects for:

• Establishing new forest areas where the previous land use was non-forest.

• Reforestation of a previously forested area after treatment or natural disturbance (wind, fire, etc.), or canopy dieback where natural regeneration is not being utilized.

• Supplement areas where natural regeneration is present, but not currently adequate in an existing forest after a silvicultural treatment, natural disturbances (wind, fire, etc.), or dieback.

Practice Cost Payments Materials and tasks that are approved for reimbursement for this practice include:

• Planning by a forester, arborist, natural resources professional, or specialist in restoration and reforestation

• Cost of tree planting by contractor and/or forester/natural resources professional

• Purchase of bare root or containerized tree or shrub seedlings

• Groundcover to assist with weed control

• Labor hours to prepare and plant seedlings on the site

• Materials and labor for tree protection and survival (except deer exclosures, see practice e)

• Rental/ leasing equipment directly related to site preparation and the planting and maintenance of tree seedlings

• Purchase of tools (under $5,000 per unit)

• Other techniques as approved by DEC to assist or enhance tree planting success

Afforestation/Reforestation practice cost estimates should use local rates.

GENERAL STANDARDS AND SPECIFICATIONS

Site Evaluation Evaluate the site to determine necessary site preparation, and if mulching, supplemental water or other treatments (e.g., tree protection devices, shade cards, brush mats, etc.) are needed to assure adequate survival and establishment. Minimize the need for supplemental water and/or nutrients by choosing site-adapted plant materials, planting methods, and planting seasons.

Tree Species In general, native trees species should be used for planting projects. Species may also be based on plant stock availability, planting season, and/or other factors. Planting plans will be evaluated for each project and will require Departmental approval. An example of an appropriate species list is the New York Natural Heritage Program’s Species Selection Tool Supporting Ecological Restoration in New York. Naturalized, non-invasive, non-native trees will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis based on goals or as an appropriate substitution upon DEC Approval.

Downstate and the Lower Hudson Valley can be found at:

Natural Areas Conservancy’s FIRST.

A number of factors should be considered when selecting trees for planting including:

• Native forest type of project location

• Site factors such as soil type, drainage and aspect

• Hardiness zone

• Ability to perform future maintenance, such as thinning and pruning

• Bidder goals

• Growth rates

• Appropriate species for restoring rare and unique forested habitats.

Plantings must consist of trees or shrubs stock. Up to 10% of the site may include shrub (understory) plantings. Project tree and shrub stock specifications must be included in estimates. To ensure planting success, DEC may require bidders to use different planting stock based on site, project timelines, stock availability and other unforeseen situations.

Select viable, high-quality, and adapted plant materials. Select planting stock that conforms to established seed transfer protocols within the State and complies with minimum standards accepted by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Do not plant any species on the Federal or State invasive species or noxious weed lists. New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets’ list of prohibited and regulated invasive plants can be found here. The United States Department of Agriculture’s National Invasive Species Information Center has both federal and regional prohibited species lists which can be found here.

Any tree stock purchased outside New York State must be USDA approved. Select only viable, high-quality, and adapted plant materials.

Site Preparation Depending on site factors, there will likely be a need for some site preparation. Site factors that indicate a need for site preparation include:

• Compacted soils (such as if the field was previously used for agriculture), which likely indicate a need for tilling, https://nynhp.shinyapps.io/speciesselectiontool/ https://nynhp.shinyapps.io/speciesselectiontool/ https://naturalareasnyc.org/nyc-forest-restoration-tool/first-tool/#/ https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fagriculture.ny.gov%2Fplant-industry%2Finvasive-species&data=05%7C02%7Cannabel.gregg%40dec.ny.gov%7Ca69bf263782f4910927108dd0b1a4e91%7Cf46cb8ea79004d108ceb80e8c1c81ee7%7C0%7C0%7C638678929796931094%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=MEuTiuUF4MorJ9UKXQxob1%2FWFUAnceu1sEg6TphMWYs%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.invasivespeciesinfo.gov%2Fsubject%2Flists&data=05%7C02%7Cannabel.gregg%40dec.ny.gov%7Ca69bf263782f4910927108dd0b1a4e91%7Cf46cb8ea79004d108ceb80e8c1c81ee7%7C0%7C0%7C638678929796948180%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=CatdxfU2%2B8%2BAU1Mf1r24pQRSn1%2FfeWePOhpda601Gao%3D&reserved=0

• Steep slope or erodible soils (silt or clay), which likely indicate the need for erosion control, and/or

• Presence of vegetation cover on the site (>30% cover), will require mechanical control (ex:

mowing), vegetation exclusion (ex: weed mats, gravel mulch), and/or herbicide control prior to planting.

Eligible site preparation activities may include site survey, assessment and project design; site clearing and grubbing including removal and/or control of invasive or competing vegetation such as turf, grass, shrub, vine and dead or dying trees; and soil scarification, preparation and remediation.

If the proper light conditions to support planted trees or natural regeneration for the project do not yet exist, silvicultural operations may be necessary to create the necessary conditions.

Vegetation Control For sites where there is more than 30% cover of vegetation, which will compete or interfere with seedling or tree stock growth, mechanical control, vegetation exclusion, and/or herbicide control is required. Control of vegetation cover must be maintained throughout the site preparation, tree planting and protection, and commissioning and monitoring phases of a project. For projects that involve vegetation control outside of industry standards, Bidders must provide supporting documentation of control methods in the form of peer reviewed research, such as research articles cited in scientific journals or fact sheets by attaching them to the Project Template for upload to the SFS Grants Management.

Mechanical Control For mechanical treatments, plans should describe the type of equipment, techniques, or procedures to be followed and timing of treatment to achieve best results.

Herbicide Control Utilization of an Herbicide Plan is encouraged and should include:

• Acceptable chemical treatment references for containment and management or control of target species.

• Evaluation and interpretation of herbicide risks associated with selected treatment(s).

• Acceptable dates or plant growth stage at application to best effect control and reduce reinvasion.

• Any mitigation, timing considerations or other factors that must be considered to ensure the safest, most effective application of herbicide.

• Application of herbicides must be done according to the label (labels attached) and manufacturer’s safety instructions and in compliance with State regulations.

• Chemicals must be legally registered in NYS as an herbicide to be used as such under this grant opportunity.

• All of the designated area must be treated uniformly and after the herbicide application, at least 80% or more of the target vegetation stems must be dead. The effectiveness of the herbicide application will be evaluated by the DEC after June 15th during the following growing season using six-foot radius sample plots. Fern and woody species will be evaluated separately for effectiveness of the herbicide application.

When the Grantee hires a contractor to apply herbicides as part of this grant, the Grantee’s Contractor must be a registered pesticide business that is currently registered with the NYS DEC and employs a certified applicator in the appropriate category (i.e., Category 2). A pesticide applicator who is a holder of a N.Y.S. Commercial Applicator Permit (Category 2) must be present during the spraying operation.

Planting Guidance & Times Choose appropriate planting dates and handling methods to increase rates of survival. Typically, plantings have the most success if completed in the fall prior to frost or the early spring following thaw.

Select planting techniques and timing appropriate for soil and site conditions.

A guide for tree planting can be found at the following link:

https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/tftplantmaint.pdf.

And additional information at:

https://dec.ny.gov/nature/forests-trees/urban-and-community-forestry/how-to-plant-a-tree

Specific Conditions for Establishing New Forest Areas or Re-establishing forests after a treatment or disturbance

• The target planting density for bare root trees for establishing new forested areas is 500 trees per acre.

o Bareroot seedlings should be between 5”-14” in height with a maximum 3-3 age (3 years in seed beds and 3 years in transplant beds) o Plantings using bare root stock should target sizes at or below 1” caliper

• The target planting density if using containerized seedlings is 100 trees per acre.

• Fewer trees per acre may be allowed, upon approval by DEC, depending on the species planted or the forest type being replanted, site conditions, type of tree stock. For example, special or rare ecological habitats may require fewer trees per acre.

Specific Conditions for Planting to supplement existing tree regeneration in forest Fewer trees per acre may be required for supplemental planting in forest openings based on the current natural regeneration. The Bidder will provide the number of trees or trees per acre required to adequately supplement existing regeneration. Site factors, current forest type, and light conditions are crucial for overall project success and will be used in the evaluation process.

Tree Protection Protect tree, seeded areas, and naturally regenerated areas, from unacceptable adverse impacts of pests, wildlife, livestock, and/or fire. Protect from pests, as necessary, by applying integrated pest management techniques for pest prevention, avoidance, monitoring, and suppression.

Tree protection is required for all hardwood plantings and for softwood plantings with a high browse preference by deer (e.g., cedar). Tree protection may include fencing or tree shelters and be tall enough to protect seedlings until they can escape browse pressure. For protecting plantings of 9 acres or more it may be more cost effective to use fencing than tree shelters on a per acre basis. For planting projects that require installation of a deer fence, projects apply for and follow the Guidelines and Standards for the Deer Exclosure Practice (Section 6.e.) of this document).

Operation Supplemental water will be provided as needed to plantings. Watering systems can be used and associated costs can be submitted for reimbursement. The most cost-effective system shall be utilized.

Select proper equipment to perform site preparation work.

Control erosion and maintain water quality during site preparation activities.

https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/tftplantmaint.pdf https://dec.ny.gov/nature/forests-trees/urban-and-community-forestry/how-to-plant-a-tree

Required Survival Rates Total seedling survival for bare root stock must be 65% or greater during the contract period to receive full funding for this practice.

Total seedling survival for containerized stock must be 75% or greater during the contract period to receive full funding for this practice.

If survival rates fall below the required rates, the bidder will replant the site, at their own cost, to meet or exceed the required survival rates.

Long-Term Management After the project is completed, the bidder is expected to maintain this practice at their own cost to reach the long-term goal of establishing and maintaining a healthy forest canopy within 10 years. This includes performing the proper cleaning and thinning of planted areas to reduce competition, pruning and replacement of species necessary to maintain forest cover.

The bidder will develop a long-term maintenance and cost plan for the lifespan of the practice.

Monitoring As part of this bid, the bidder will include a long-term monitoring and maintenance section in the workplan.

Once implemented to the specifications listed above, the bidder will monitor this practice throughout its lifespan to evaluate success. The site should be frequently inspected within the first several years of practice establishment to determine tree survival and address threats to establishment (i.e., insects, disease, browsing, competing vegetation, etc.).

The bidder is expected to perform the actions necessary at the project site to achieve at least a 65% survival rate for bare root seedlings and 75% survival rate for containerized seedlings for the duration of the contract period, with the long-term goal of establishing planted trees and maintaining a healthy forest canopy within 10 years. Maintenance and monitoring activities after the commissioning period (trees are established), and beyond the contract term shall be conducted at the bidder/ landowner’s expense.

Monitoring records should be maintained by the bidder throughout the lifespan (10 years) of the practice and available upon request by DEC. These records should provide the necessary information needed to enable the DEC to evaluate the site. DEC may also conduct on-site monitoring throughout the lifespan of the project to evaluate project and program success.

d) Forest Stand Restoration/ Competing Vegetation Control Practice

To restore forests impacted by pests and disease, invasive vegetation, or other issues for the purpose of increasing overall forest health and resilience. Approved treatments may include silvicultural sound methods to help eradicate or limit the spread of native or exotic invasive plant species in forested environments which interfere with natural regeneration and designed to renew degraded forest stands. Funding can support mechanical removal or chemical control using herbicide registered in New York for targeted species and planting. Practice installation can either meet the specifications listed below or the equivalent NRCS EQIP specifications for the practices listed.

This practice is not for orchard, ornamental, nursery, or Christmas tree purposes.

Suite of NRCS Practices potentially under CoRe Forest Stand Restoration/Competing Vegetation Control Practice.

o Biological Management o Blanket Treatment o Chemical-Ground Applied o Chemical Individual Plant o Intense Individual Plant Treatment o Mechanical hand tools and Chemical Treatment o Hand Tool, Woody Vegetation o Mechanical Light Equipment o Mechanical Medium 2-to-4-inch DBH

• 315-Herbaceous Weed Control o Biological Management High Density o Biological Management Low Density o Blanket Treatment o Chemical-Spot Treatment o Forest herbaceous Chemical Ground o Chemical Individual Plant o Intense Individual Plant Treatment o Mechanical hand tools and Chemical Treatment o Hand Tools, Herbaceous Vegetation o Mechanical

• 342-Critical Area Planting

• 391-Riparian Forest Buffer

• 490-Site preparation

• 528-Prescribed Grazing

• 612-Tree Planting

• 647-Early Succession Habitat o Wildlife Openings o Low shade removal o Overstory removal

NOTE: Bidder is required to complete the General Site Conditions and Forest Stand Restoration/ Competing Vegetation Control Practice Sections of the Project Practice Plan Template Form and upload it as an attachment in the SFS Grants Management System.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The bidder objective must be to control competing vegetation during the contract period using the most effective methods possible. Herbicides are an effective method to restore areas overrun with competing vegetation within a short timeframe and can be completed in conjunction with mechanical method. The intention of this practice is to eradicate or reduce the issue to a manageable level for a bidder in a short period of time, so native trees and plants can start to reoccupy the site.

Practice Cost and Reimbursement Materials and tasks that are approved for this practice include:

• Planning by a forester, arborist, natural resources professional, or specialist in restoration

• Cost of tree planting by contractor and/or forester/natural resources professional

• Equipment use and labor, such as forestry mower

• Rental/ leasing equipment directly related to site preparation, the planting and maintenance of tree seedlings

• Herbicide

• Travel Time

• Purchase of tools

• Cost of tree planting contractor and/or forester/natural resources professional

• Purchase of bare root or containerized tree or shrub…