Local communities receive funding to plant more trees Courtney Ward — NEWS10 ABC

A few local communities received additional funding to grow more trees.

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — A few local communities received additional funding to grow more trees. Albany, Troy and Athens have been awarded a piece of a $5 million federal grant for reforestation projects.

Troy will use the funding to plant more trees in Prospect Park. Albany plans to plant trees in the South End, West Hill and other neighborhoods that were previously redlined.

Experts said not having enough trees is a public health issue.

“The lack of trees really exacerbates those extreme heat conditions, and the more trees we can put on our landscape throughout the state, it reduces that heat effect and really helps improve air quality in our urban areas,” NYS DEC interim commissioner Sean Mahar said.

Gov. Kathy Hochul said she wants to plant $25 million additional trees in the state in the next nine years.

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