DEC Awards Grants To Help Fix Southern Pine Beetle Damage

Five projects across Nassau and Suffolk counties were awarded over $275,000 through the Southern Pine Beetle Community Recovery Grants to help with recovery efforts from southern pine beetle (SPB) damage.

The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced on Tuesday that it has distributed the grant money for the following projects:

• $75,000 to the Sisters of St. Joseph, Brentwood for the Southern Pine Beetle Initiative at The Sisters of St. Joseph
• $60,644 to the Nassau County Soil and Water Conservation District for the Southern Pine Beetle Suppression and Management in Peter J. Schmitt Massapequa Preserve
• $60,820 to the Bayard Cutting Arboretum Horticultural Society for the Suffolk NYS Bayard Cutting Arboretum, Paradise Island
• $28,050 to the Town of Southampton for the Removal of Hazard Trees at Good Ground Park and Foster Avenue Park
• $64,000 to the Town of East Hampton for the Open Space SPB Management

"The cost of managing the negative impacts of the southern pine beetle is a significant hardship faced by Long Island communities," DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said.

These grants are part of New York's ongoing initiatives to address this invasive pest and provide funding directly to impacted communities.

The project will focus on addressing safety issues associated with dead trees, cutting infested trees to reduce beetle populations, and replanting native pine barrens species in impacted areas.

All of these efforts will help protect and restore the Central Pine Barrens, which is vital to protecting water quality, wildlife habitat, endangered species, and recreational opportunities.

DEC staff reviewed six completed grant applications and selected five recipients based on established rating criteria, including cost-effectiveness, projected benefits, use of recommended standards in implementation, community outreach, education, support, and regional economic impact.

Last year, Governor Andrew Cuomo targeted $3 million from the Environmental Protection Fund to help manage the spread of SPB on Long Island.

The additional funds bolstered DEC's ongoing efforts to manage the invasive pest, which has killed thousands of pine trees on Long Island since it was first discovered in 2014.

The 2018-19 budget proposes an additional $250,000 for prescribed burns to address SPB.

Photo: NYS DEC