Commissioner Bob Martin announced that the Department of Environmental Protection is awarding almost $400,000 in grants to 18 municipalities in 10 counties across the state to promote robust stewardship of community trees and forests.
“I’m pleased to have these grants going to the communities and locations that cherish our trees and do the hard work necessary to ensure the Garden State will always have these important resources available for this and future generations,” said Commissioner Martin.
The 18 awards are being issued by the New Jersey Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry program (NJUCF) through Community Stewardship Incentive Program (CSIP) grants. The grant program focuses upon the communities’ implementation of NJUCF approved Community Forestry Management Plans. The 2017 CSIP grants are funded by the “Treasure Our Trees” state license plate fund and the No Net Loss Reforestation program.
Communities in Bergen, Cape May, Essex, Gloucester, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Passaic and Somerset Counties were recipients of this year’s grants.