Gov. Kathy Hochul marked Arbor Day 2025 with a major boost for urban reforestation—announcing $15 million in statewide funding through the new Community Reforestation (CoRe) grant program, including nearly $1 million for projects in the Bronx aimed at improving air quality and reducing heat in vulnerable neighborhoods.
Two leading Bronx organizations—the Bronx River Alliance and The New York Botanical Garden—received a combined $929,000 to expand tree-planting efforts along the Bronx River corridor. The funding supports New York’s “25 Million Trees by 2033” initiative, a climate resiliency strategy Hochul introduced in her 2024 State of the State address to combat rising temperatures, air pollution, and flooding.
“Resilient urban forests support community health, well-being and sustainability,” Hochul said in a statement. “These grants will bring the countless ecological and economic benefits of trees to neighborhoods that need them most.”
The Bronx River Alliance received $500,000 to plant nearly 2,000 hardwood trees, replacing ash trees that were lost to invasive pests like the Emerald Ash Borer. More than 300 volunteers will help carry out the reforestation work.
The New York Botanical Garden was awarded $429,285 to restore six degraded forest sites across the Bronx River watershed, including two on NYBG land in the Bronx and four in nearby Westchester. Their Bronx River Riparian Forest Restoration Project aims to improve biodiversity and forest health while protecting local water quality.
The CoRe grant program, administered by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), targets communities with high heat vulnerability—where the urban heat island effect contributes to public health risks. Trees in these areas can help lower surface temperatures, filter pollutants, and reduce the risk of stormwater flooding.
Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson praised the investment as a key step in her administration’s “Greening the Bronx” initiative, which aims to expand green infrastructure, increasing tree canopy coverage, and addressing environmental disparities, particularly in underserved communities. She is currently advocating for more city funds to promote this effort.
“These nearly 2,000 new trees are a win for the Bronx and for improving our environment and our borough’s public health,” Gibson said. “Projects like these plant hope, healing, and long-term health in our communities.”
Assemblymember George Alvarez, whose district includes parts of the Bronx River area, said the funding will help address environmental injustice and will include input from the borough’s youth.
“These projects not only strengthen our local environment but also engage our communities, especially our youth—in building a healthier, more resilient Bronx,” Alvarez said.
The CoRe grants were created to support New York’s 25 Million Trees initiative, which aims to scale up urban reforestation efforts statewide by 2033. The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is administering the program and will track plantings through its Tree Tracker tool.
Additional grants were awarded to SUNY campuses and other regions across the state, including Syracuse, Kingston, and the Upper Susquehanna watershed.
Projects in the Bronx and elsewhere are expected to create youth workforce development opportunities, with field technicians, student internships, and educational “living labs” contributing to long-term environmental stewardship.
