Free Seedlings Available
to Qualified Landowners for Streamside Plantings
New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos
today announced that the application period for the Trees for Tribs' "Buffer in a Bag" Program is now
open. Qualifying private and public landowners may apply for a free bag
of 25 tree and shrub seedlings for planting near streams, rivers, or
lakes to help stabilize banks, protect water quality, and improve
wildlife habitat.
"Small-scale streamside
plantings can help decrease erosion, slow floodwaters, and protect fish
and wildlife habitat," said
Commissioner Seggos. "We
encourage New York landowners with waterside properties to participate in
DEC's 'Buffer in a Bag' program to bolster our efforts to protect water
quality and safeguard communities from flooding."
To qualify, landowners must
have property in New York State with at least 50 feet bordering a stream,
river, or lake, and provide photos or a map of the planting location.
Previous recipients are encouraged to reapply to continue to build
riparian buffers. Applicants are eligible for one bag of 25 seedlings and
recipients are chosen on a first-come, first-served basis. A total of 350
bags will be available statewide for this round of applications.
Landowners in the Hudson River Estuary watershed (PDF) may
be eligible for additional assistance with streamside planting projects.
For details, visit the Hudson
River Estuary Program's webpage.
Seedlings are provided by
DEC's Colonel William F. Fox Memorial Saratoga Tree Nursery. The Trees
for Tribs program is
managed by DEC's Division of Lands and Forests and supported by the
State's Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). Governor Hochul's
2022-23 Executive Budget proposes increasing the EPF from $300 to $400
million, which would be the highest level of funding in the program's
history. The EPF provides funding for critical environmental programs
such as land acquisition, farmland protection, invasive species
prevention and eradication, enhanced recreational access, water quality
improvement, and an aggressive environmental justice agenda.
Visit DEC's website for more
information about the Buffer in a Bag application process and
requirements. Applications are due by 3 p.m. on April 11, 2022.
Contact treesfortribs@dec.ny.gov with
questions and visit DEC's Trees for Tribs
webpage to learn more.
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