Back
To News/PR Index
|
|
New
York State, PTNY Announce $450,000 in Grants to
State
Parks, Forests and Historic Site Partner Organizations
|
Albany,
NY – March 2018 / Newsmaker Alert / New
York State and Parks & Trails New
York announce $450,000 in state grants to 21 organizations dedicated
to the stewardship and promotion of New York State parks, historic sites
and public lands. These dedicated groups raise private funds for capital
projects, perform maintenance tasks, provide educational programming, and
promote public use through hosting special events.
State
Parks Commissioner Rose Harvey said, “Friends Groups and volunteers are
key partners in the success of our park system. I applaud Governor Cuomo
for helping these grassroots Friends organizations become stronger and
more effective stewards of New York’s treasured public spaces.”
DEC
Commissioner Seggos said, “Across New York, volunteers are bolstering DEC’s
work. From our new Campground Ambassadors program to longstanding trail
stewardship efforts, volunteers are assisting DEC to protect natural resources
and helping to connect more New Yorkers with nature. Thanks to Governor
Cuomo’s leadership in sustaining the Environmental Protection Fund at $300
million this year, for the first time these grants are being awarded to
DEC Friends groups to continue their efforts supporting our work.”
Parks
& Trails New York Executive Director Robin Dropkin said, “It’s inspiring
to see the transformational effect of the Park and Trail Partnership Program
grants and how they are enhancing the ability of Friends groups to make
an even greater contribution to the stewardship of New York’s great outdoor
spaces,” said PTNY Executive Director Robin Dropkin. “These grant funds
will enable groups to leverage more private and federal funding, marshal
more volunteer power, and augment the state’s historic investment in parks,
trails and other public outdoor places.”
The
Park and Trail Partnership Program grants, funded through the Environmental
Protection Fund, will be matched by almost $200,000 in private and local
funding, which will support projects. The Park and Trail Partnership Program
grants are designed to:
-
Enhance
the preservation, stewardship, interpretation, maintenance and promotion
of New York State parks, trails, historic sites and public lands;
-
Increase
the sustainability, effectiveness, productivity, volunteerism and fundraising
capabilities of not-for-profit organizations that promote, maintain and
support New York State parks, trails and state historic sites; and
-
Promote
the tourism and economic development benefits of outdoor recreation through
the growth and expansion of a connected statewide network of parks, trails
and greenways.
The grants
are administered by the State Office of Parks,
Recreation, and Historic Preservation, and Parks & Trails New York,
a statewide non-profit group. This year for the first time, grant awardees
include Department of Environmental Conservation Friends groups.
Senator
Tom O’Mara, Chair of the Senate Committee on Environmental Conservation,
said, “This important state investment will strengthen the grassroots organizations
and volunteers that collectively make up an amazing corps of citizens dedicated
to the quality of of New York State’s nationally recognized system of state
parks, historic sites, parks and trails. I can’t say enough about these
efforts to beautify and promote these attractions.”
Senator
Rich Funke, Chair of the Senate Committee on Cultural Affairs, Tourism,
Parks and Recreation, said, “I am proud to support a record investment
in the Environmental Protection Fund, which provides important grants and
programs like the $450,000 in micro grant funding for our state parks friends
groups. The work of these organizations is vital for the continued promotion
and stewardship of our state parks, historic sites and trails, as well
as enhancing efforts to promote outdoor tourism and recreation opportunities
for all New Yorkers.”
Assemblyman
Steve Englebright, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Environmental Conservation,
said, “Stewardship organizations are the unsung heroes of our State’s parks
and public lands. Born out of a deep and collective caring for our natural
areas, these Friends organizations are powered by volunteers who roll their
sleeves up to perform maintenance, lead educational programs and nature
walks, and raise funds for special projects. Grants to these homegrown
stewardship groups earn a windfall return in helping to augment the work
of State Parks and the DEC. “
Assemblyman
Daniel J. O’Donnell, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Tourism, Arts,
Parks, and Sports Development, said, “As New Yorkers, we know that our
parks and green spaces are of utmost importance. I’m proud that New York
State Parks & Trails New York is recommitting to preserving and promoting
these treasures by announcing $450,000 in grants. As Chair of the Committee
on Parks, I look forward to visiting all 21 sites to participate in the
beauty.”
The
awardees are:
Capital
Region
Friends
of Clermont: $4,000 to create a planned giving program to raise funds to
provide more programs, including marketing materials, a planned giving
and named endowment policy, and training for the board of trustees.
Friends
of Thacher Park: $4,080 to design and procure promotional materials to
promote the Friends group and build capacity through outreach.
The
Friends of U.S. Grant Cottage: $19,500 to provide critical administrative
support and focus on acquiring and maintaining sustainable income sources
for the organization.
Central
Region
Chittenango
Landing Canal Boat Museum: $20,400 to create a new education program entitled
“The Story of the Water STEM Program: Erie Canal Connections.” The program
will allow the museum to research water systems related to the Erie Canal
and create STEM educational programming. Additional components of the new
STEM program will be a summer STEM camp, and a “Story of the Water” series
of talks. The new education program will enable visitors to explore how
humans impact the canal water system today.
Council
of Park Friends: $8,500 to make many needed updates to the Clark Reservation
State Park Nature Center, specifically the geology exhibit, which explains
the geologic formation comprising the main attraction at the park. Additional
updates include the wildlife and flora exhibits, replacing the book collection,
and purchasing new tables and display cases.
Finger
Lakes
Friends
of Ganondagan: $50,000 to fund the restoration and replacement of the
Seneca Bark Longhouse roof using new, “flexbark/Elm Bark” roofing panels.
The exiting roof is leaking and the new roof is necessary and critical
to ensure the viability of the Seneca Bark Longhouse structure, and safety
of the artifacts, reproductions, and interpretive materials housed within.
Friends
of Hamlin Beach State Park: $15,740 to enhance the self-guided interpretive
tour to educate visitors about the role Hamlin Beach State Park CCC/POW
Camp played during the Depression and World War II. The enhancements will
include a stone dust path to follow the interpretive sign tour, five new
interpretive signs, and new locator signs within the park directing patrons
to the CCC/POW site.
Friends
of Letchworth State Park: $12,530 to fund a planning document along
with two architectural project reports that will allow the Friends group
to more effectively manage and fund projects that will move forward the
ongoing effort to preserve the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) legacy
in Letchworth State Park.
Sonnenberg
Gardens and Mansion State Historic Park: $18,688 for the restoration
of the Vinery Greenhouse. The scope of the restoration project includes
repairs to masonry, skeletal framework, sashes, roof, glass and gutters.
Long
Island
The
Caumsett Foundation, Inc.: $20,000 to fund the construction of a courtyard
between two classrooms to enhance the education complex at Caumsett State
Historic Park Preserve. It will provide additional public space if the
classrooms are occupied for lectures, break-out sessions and lunch breaks.
It will be the primary space for other groups to meet and will complement
the overall design between the classrooms, restrooms and Park offices,
all of which are new spaces.
Mid-Hudson
Basha
Kill Area Association: $7,792 will fund professional reformatting and
printing of 500 copies of a revised book (the third edition) entitled “A
Birding Guide to Sullivan County New York.” This project will generate
more interest in this valuable, state-owned natural resource by specifically
educating visitors about the 250+ bird species who inhabit this wetland
during the year.
Friends
of Mills Mansion: $48,000 to fund the purchase of historically-accurate,
custom-made fabric, trim, and as well as decorative trim, tie-backs and
hanging hardware needed to reproduce the historic draperies in Staatsburgh’s
formal dining room. These will replace the existing drapes that have been
hanging for over 100 years and are in very poor condition.
Friends
of The Old Croton Aqueduct: $27,200 to cover the cost of a coordinator
to support the needs of the recently opened Keeper’s House Education and
Visitor Center. The coordinator will develop and manage the volunteer docent
program, including recruiting new volunteers to assist with all the activities
at the Center and improve the visitor’s experience.
The
Little Stony Point Citizens Association, Inc.: $39,946 to fund a solar
installation on the Volunteer Center to power activities there, which will
increase volunteer presence at Little Stony Point. A portion of the energy
generated will be stored in a mobile battery, which will be used to support
volunteer activities throughout the Park. Additionally, installing a simple
“green” incinerating toilet at the Center will provide better amenities
for visitors.
Mohawk
Valley
Friends
of Johnson Hall: $9,905 for of a historic floor cloth, a “painted carpet”
for the Front Hallway of Johnson Hall State Historic Site. This reproduction
floor cloth will help protect the original wooden floor from heavy wear
by visitors, and will complete the restoration of the decorative finishes
on the first floor of this site. Funds will also be used to produce a detailed
color booklet, postcards and a website update to summarize all the restorations
projects that have been competed or are underway.
New
York City
Four
Freedoms Park Conservancy: $15,750 to redesign and install clear, direct,
and inviting entrance signage that incorporates messaging of the Park’s
rules in the park, which are unique due to the park’s entirely engineered
environment.
North
Country
Azure
Mountain Friends: $7,225 to initiate a publicity campaign and fund
necessary repairs. The publicity campaign will improve communications to
the public about the work of the Azure Mountain Friends, the history of
the tower, expand interest, and ultimately increase the number of volunteers
and supporters. Most importantly, the increased exposure and publicity
will help to insure the continuation of educational programs.
Friends
of the Nature Center: $50,000 to create a new forest exhibit that will
be located at the entrance of the Minna Anthony Common Nature Center. This
exhibit will include interactive graphics that explain what each part of
the tree does. This modern, state of the art exhibit will draw the attention
of new visitors, while also giving returning visitors a reason to return
and explore the new elements.
Winona
Forest Recreation Association: $19,082 for the rehabilitation of multi-use
trails in the Winona State Forest, designed specifically to increase public
access and significantly enhancing users’ experience. This rehabilitation
of the trails will attract new users, increase tourism dollars, and grow
the local economy.
Western
New York
Friends
of Allegany State Park: $4,250 for the construction of approximately
two miles of new, narrow tread trail, as part of the park’s master plan.
Funds will cover the materials for the trail, new signage, and informational
kiosks and maps. The trail will be created in collaboration with a mountain
biking group to attract bikers, a new user group, to the park.
Friends
of Reinstein Nature Preserve: $47,411 to hire a Development Manager
to cultivate a sustainable donor base and expand the organization’s funding
sources in the areas of corporate giving, foundation giving, and planned
giving. These actions will increase the long-term viability of Friends
of Reinstein Woods, and foster improvements to the educational and stewardship
programs supported by Reinstein Woods.
The
Parks and Trail Partnership Program is funded by the Environmental Protection
Fund. In the 2018-19 Executive Budget, Governor Cuomo maintained EPF funding
at $300 million – the highest level of funding in the Environmental Protection
Fund’s 25-year history. These major investments continue New York’s national
environmental leadership, and advance essential projects to protect the
state’s water, air, and natural resources and help communities capitalize
on the economic returns of environmental funding.
About
Parks & Trails New York
Parks
& Trails New York (PTNY) is the State’s leading advocate for parks
and trails, dedicated since 1985 to improving New Yorkers’ health, economy,
and quality of life through the use and enjoyment of green space. PTNY
has been the leading advocate for completing the Erie Canalway Trail, as
promoting the trail as a community resource and tourism destination. Find
more information at www.PTNY.org.
Contacts:
Parks
& Trails New York
Robin
Dropkin
Executive
Director
or
Alison
Jenkins
Director,
Parks Program
518-434-1583 |