For Immediate Release

April 1, 2011

Genesee Land Trust Awarded $35,000

From The New York State Conservation Partnership Program

Genesee Land Trust is the recipient of $35,000 grant funding from the New York State Conservation Partnership Program. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Land Trust Alliance (joined members of the state legislature and land trust representatives last week to announce $1.4 million in the Conservation Partnership Program grants. The grants which are funded through the state’s Environmental Protection Fund will enable local land trusts to increase the pace, improve the quality, and ensure the permanence of voluntary conservation of private lands which will result in significant environmental and economic benefits across New York State.

For Genesee Land Trust, a local non-profit, preserving lands primarily in Monroe and Wayne Counties, the grant award of $35,000, a Transactional Grant, will be used to help leverage the $607,000 in federal FRPP (Farm and Ranchland Protection Program) funding it received in February  to purchase the development rights to Alasa Farms in Sodus, Wayne County.

In all, 57 non-profits across New York, will receive grant funding including Genesee Land Trust, the North Shore Alliance, Hudson Highlands land Trust, Columbia Land Conservancy, New York Agricultural Land Trust, Finger Lakes Land Trust, Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust and the Western New Land Conservancy.  Grant funds are intended to assist land trusts in advancing goals set in the New York State’s Open Space Plan. The grants will also support open space programs administered by the Manhattan, Bronx and Brooklyn-Queens Land Trusts, Yonkers Land Conservancy, Kingston Land Trust, Capital District Community Gardens, and the Grassroots Gardens of Buffalo.

“The New York State Conservation Partnership Program advances Governor Cuomo’s agenda for A Cleaner Greener New York,” said Joe Martens, Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation.  “New York State’s financial support for the Partnership Program is critical to the important work of land trusts that, in partnership with communities across New York, provide vital protection of open space for its environmental and economic value.”

State Senator Mark Grisanti (R-Buffalo), chair of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee said “ By working together and connecting the work of land trusts in communities from Buffalo to Long Island, we are helping New York be a national leader in conserving and protecting working farms and private lands that support local jobs and businesses.”

“Genesee Land Trust could not be more excited and energized by New York State’s investment in our work,” said Gay Mills, executive director of the Trust. 

Genesee Land Trust, founding in 1989 now protects nearly 4,000 acres of woods, wetlands, waterways, farmland and critical habitat and created Conkey Corner Park at Conkey and Clifford Avenues. It is, in partnership with the City of Rochester, breaking ground on El Camino Trail, adjacent to the Park, this summer.

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 Contact:

Margaret Potter

Director of Communications and Development

 (585) 256-2130

info@geneseelandtrust.org