Browse Ambrook’s collection of funding programs by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC)

Submit the 480a application form (Certificate of Approval), an annual commitment form, a forester-prepared management plan, and a map/aerial photo to the DEC Regional Forester for the county; file the certificate with the County Clerk and Town Assessor and apply for the exemption with the assessor.

Deadline text on the page: Annual commitment form due to the Town Assessor and DEC Regional Forester each year; DEC issues certificate of approval within 60 days of a complete application.

Department of Environmental Conservation

General office (NYSDEC)

New York's forest tax exemption for private forest owners with at least 50 contiguous forested acres who commit, for 10 years after each annual exemption, to a DEC-approved forest management plan prepared by a forester. Enrolled acreage receives a property-tax exemption; harvests incur a 6% stumpage tax; non-compliance triggers roll-back taxes. Applications go to the DEC Regional Forester for the county.



Any tract of forest land is eligible if it consists of at least 50 contiguous acres, exclusive of any portion not devoted to the production of forest crops; any private owner (individual, corporation, partnership, trust, estate) excluding government entities; any harvest within three years prior must have followed a sound forest management program.

A reduction or waiving of fees for meeting a certain criteria.

Discount

10-year commitment renewing with each annual exemption; management plan and 15-year work schedule updated every 5 years; 6% tax on stumpage value of commercial harvests; penalty/roll-back taxes for non-compliance; subdivisions under 50 acres subject to roll-back.

Published amounts: Property tax exemption on enrolled forest acreage (WAC page: 'Participants can receive up to an 80% property tax reduction'); DEC page: 'Tax savings may vary considerably for different properties .. It is possible that there would be no savings.' 6 percent stumpage tax on commercial harvests.

Complete and submit the Hudson Estuary Trees for Tribs Application (PDF) to the Hudson River Estuary Program by March 1 (spring) or August 1 (fall).

Deadline text on the page: The application deadlines are March 1 for a planting in spring, and August 1 for planting in the fall.

General office (Hudson River Estuary Program)

DEC's Hudson River Estuary Program supplies free native trees and shrubs, and technical help with plant selection and planting plans, to landowners and land managers restoring streamside buffers along Hudson tributaries within the Estuary grant boundary. Applicant prepares, plants and maintains the site, ideally with volunteers.



If you own or manage property near a stream in the Hudson River Estuary Grant boundary (PDF), you can apply for assistance from Hudson Estuary Trees for Tribs.

Applicant is responsible for preparing, planting and maintaining the site.

Published amounts: Free native trees and shrubs plus plant-selection and planting-plan assistance; no cash award.

Claim on the NYS income tax return using Tax & Finance conservation easement credit forms; need copy of the filed easement, recording information, holder name, DEC CE ID number, and property tax amounts.

Deadline text on the page: Annual income tax credit claimed each tax year.

General office (Bureau of Real Property Services)

Refundable New York State income tax credit for owners of land under a permanent Article 49 conservation easement held by a public or private conservation agency and registered with DEC: 25% of school, county and town property taxes on the eased land, up to $5,000 per year. Farm and forest landowners who have donated or sold easements (below market value) to land trusts, SWCDs or municipalities qualify.



Owners of property encumbered with an Article 49 Conservation Easement: individuals, estates and trusts, partners in a partnership (incl. LLCs taxed as partnerships), Article 9-A business corporations; not available to S corporations or not-for-profits; easement must be permanent, in NYS, held by a public or private conservation agency, registered with DEC with a DEC CE identification number; easements purchased at market value are ineligible.

25% of eligible property taxes up to $5,000 annually; refundable.

Published amounts: annual income tax credit of 25% of their school district, county, and town property taxes up to $5,000. If a landowner's tax credit exceeds the amount, the taxpayer owes in state income taxes, the landowner receives a payment for the difference.

Apply through the NYS Statewide Financial System (SFS) Grants Management portal with a workplan and Excel budget workbook; see the Request for Applications (RFA). Registration help: (855) 233-8363 / helpdesk@sfs.ny.gov.

Deadline text on the page: Round 5 of Regenerate NY is now closed. Awards are anticipated to be announced in late 2026 or early 2027. .. This grant is now closed. Bid requests exhausted grant funds on March 30, 2026, signaling the end of the application period.

Regenerate NY program staff

DEC cost-share grant for non-industrial private forest landowners (under 2,500 acres), not-for-profits, tribes, and entities acting on their behalf to establish or regenerate forests on 5+ acres: afforestation/reforestation, regeneration silviculture, forest-health thinning, competing-vegetation control, and deer exclosures. Five rounds to date; Round 5 closed March 30, 2026 with a new performance-based advance-payment structure.



Non-industrial private landowners—any Individuals, trusts, corporate entities, or other for-profit entities—who own less than 2,500 acres of land; not-for-profit organizations and state or federally recognized Indian Nations or Tribes; companies or organizations acting on behalf of non-industrial private landowners (SWCDs, private forestry businesses, tree-planting businesses, 501(c)(3)s). Projects must treat five acres or more and be completed within three years.

A lump sum of money for a specific purpose that does not need to be paid back.

Grant

10% match (local or in-kind, non-state/federal); performance-based payments: 75% of first-year costs upfront, 15% after year-one report plus 75% of next year, final 10% held to project end; projects up to 3 years.

Published amounts: Small budget projects –awards range from a minimum of $10,000 up to $49,999 .. Large budget projects – awards range from $50,000 up to a maximum of $1 million. A 10% match is required.

List of New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) Funding Opportunities