NEW YORK (WWTI) — Governor Cuomo announced that New York will receive a $900,000 grant to support state parks, trails, historic sites, and public lands.

The grant was awarded with the goal to promote tourism and economic development benefits of outdoor recreation through the growth and expansion of a connected statewide network of parks, trails and greenways, including those in New York State.

The award is available through the Parks & Trails Partnership Grant Program which is funded through the state Environmental Protection.

The grant will support non-profit organizations focuses on these areas and will fund 30 projects across New York state. The initiatives of the projects will be to enhance preservation, maintenance and promotion of New York State parks, trails, historic sites and public lands by supporting the non-profit organizations that dedicate their time to these areas.

Almost $80,000 of the grant will be dedicated towards three projects focused on areas in the North Country.

One project will focus on a five-year rehabilitation of Poke-O-Moonshine’s 1.8-mile Ranger Trail in the Adirondacks accounting for $30,000 of the grant.

Over $14,000 of the grant will be dedicated towards hiring a staff member to be stationed on top of New York’s tallest mountains in the Adirondacks to educate the public on alpine ecosystems and enlist their help in protecting this fragile resource from May to October.

The last project will cost about $27,000 and double the traditional event trail course. It will add five new bridges, three new trails, and performing trail rehabilitation, including the addition of a new 5K trail which can be used by hikers, mountain bikers, and trail runners.

State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said the grant will help benefit New York for years to come.

“To protect New York’s lands for future generations, DEC works hand-in-hand with local partners and volunteers to promote sustainable use and help maintain our trails for the safe and responsible enjoyment of the public,” Seggos said. “Today’s awards will advance efforts to make the outdoors more accessible to all New Yorkers and help visitors better understand their impact on natural resources in order to inspire the next generation of environmental stewards.”

The funding of the grant was announced on July 28 by Governor Cuomo.