Mid-Hudson Valley region gets $516K in preservation grants

Representatives of the state Department of Conservation and Land Trust Alliance recently announced that $1.8 million in grants are being given to 55 nonprofit land trusts, 27 of which are in the mid-Hudson Valley region.

The awards, announced at the Teatown Lake Reservation in northern Westchester County, include a total of $516,810 in grants to the mid-Hudson Valley, the most out of all regions in the state, to help with farmland protection and increase tourism.

The money is from the state Environmental Protection Fund, which has a budget of $177 million this year, and represents the 12th round of Conservation Partnership Program grants.

The money”™s intended use will be for projects to maintain wildlife habitats and water quality, as well as updating and enhancing recreational opportunities for visitors.

The organizations in Westchester County that received grants include: Teatown Lake Reservation, Mianus River Gorge, Westchester Land Trust, Bedford Audobon, Lewisboro Land Trust, North Salem Open Land Foundation and Pound Ridge Land Conservancy.