SUNY Awarded More than 423,000 for Campus Forest Development

COBLESKILL – Governor Kathy Hochul last week announced $15 million in grant awards through New York State's new Community Reforestation (CoRe) program, with SUNY Cobleskill receiving $423,092 to significantly expand its ongoing campus forest restoration initiative and further contribute to the “25 Million Trees Initiative” launched by Governor Hochul to recognize the importance of trees and forests for climate resiliency and community health.

Funding for this round of the CoRe grant program was allocated by the Governor in the FY25 Enacted Budget. The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) administers the CoRe program, which supports the State’s efforts to plant 25 million trees by 2033.

The award for SUNY Cobleskill is part of $1.7 million awarded to four SUNY campuses for reforestation projects that will serve as "living labs" for students to research best practices in sustainable forest management and ecological monitoring. Funding will allow the College to create natural areas on campus by planting more than 5,300 trees across five acres, building upon the College's ambitious initiative launched in 2022 to plant 10,000 trees on campus over a decade. More than 4,200 trees have already been planted.

The project aims to restore native upland and lowland forests around Cobleskill Creek, creating ecosystems that increase water-holding capacity, filter poor-quality water, and reduce erosion. These forests will support biodiversity, enhance wildlife habitat, and increase corridor connectivity for species that have declined due to habitat loss.

"This grant allows us to accelerate our reforestation efforts that will expand opportunities for our students right here on campus while protecting and diversifying our local ecosystem," said SUNY Cobleskill President Dr. Marion Terenzio. "We thank Governor Hochul for recognizing the work our students are doing, sharing our commitment to environmental stewardship as a school of agriculture and technology, and adding new green space across the state through the ’25 Million Trees Initiative’ that will serve life of all types in the coming generations.”

SUNY Cobleskill's forest restoration work began in Spring 2021 when Environmental Management students planted 800 trees along State Route 7 to the Cobleskill Creek. The planting included 22 different tree and shrub species carefully selected based on landscape features and soil conditions. Upland species were planted on hill slopes with drier soil conditions, while lowland species were concentrated along Cobleskill Creek.

The project also incorporates climate adaptation strategies, with students planting several species expected to thrive under future climate conditions, including pin oak, redbud, and pawpaw. The forest is expected to provide full canopy coverage to the area in approximately 10 to 15 years.

Previous support for the campus planting project includes a $29,200 Environmental Initiative Grant from the Laura Jane Musser Fund and a $5,000 gift from the Gerald and Elizabeth Jennings Foundation used to purchase seedlings.