Mohawk Valley Initiatives Receive DEC Advancing Forest Markets Grants to support Tree Nursery and Forest Product Markets

DEC Funding Bolsters Reforestation Efforts, Strengthens New York State’s Forest Product Industry, Increases Forest Resilience and Climate Mitigation, and Contributes to the 25 Million Trees Initiative

Mohawk Valley Advancing Forest Markets Grant Awardees

Herkimer County

Van Slyke House, $340,056: The grant supports increased production of tree seeds and tree seedlings through enhanced farm capacity, marketing, and development of a regional seed collection and seedling production network.

Montgomery County

Willow Water LLC, $229,000: The grant helps bolster seed collection and seedling production by supporting expansion of nursery operations and capacity, establishing and training a community seed collection network, building a regional seed source map, and marketing.

Oneida County

B&B RE LLC, $7,678,661: The grant helps bolster pallet wood production capacity and processing of low-grade wood feedstocks through increased pallet component output, manufacturing efficiency, and utilization of more species.

Schoharie County

CDS Firewood and Logging LLC, $199,500: The grant supports expanded expand utilization of low-grade hardwood in New York State by increasing annual firewood production and increasing operational capacity, while improving inventory reliability and strengthening local forest product markets.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton today announced $45 million in grants to 44 projects promoting forest resilience and climate mitigation through sustainable forest management and reforestation while contributing to the State’s goal of planting 25 million trees. Through DEC’s Advancing Forest Markets (AFM) grant initiative, projects across the state will help businesses expand tree seedling and forest product capacity, production, and markets; increase access to affordable native trees; and grow New York State’s forest products economy.

“At a time when the forest products sector faces significant economic pressures, these grants provide a welcome investment in New York State’s forest-based economy,” Commissioner Lefton said. “This funding will strengthen markets for low-grade and locally sourced wood, expand processing capacity, and improve the efficiency and competitiveness of forest product businesses across the state. By helping businesses put more of the wood harvested in our forests to productive use, these investments will create jobs, support rural economies, and keep working forests economically viable.”

These projects will create new green jobs; provide field-based training across the various stages of the reforestation and forest product sectors; provide critical resources to tree nurseries, seed collection and reforestation operations, forest landowners, forestry businesses, and other organizations working to expand forest product markets and support wood as a renewable resource.