Gov. Hochul's executive budget proposes increases to public lands
Good news! Public lands could receive more funding in 2026!
Last month, Governor Kathy Hochul released the state’s executive budget. The proposed budget puts forward increases to critical programs that support visitation and activation of New York’s public lands.
Although we’re encouraged to see the governor propose expanded funding, the executive budget does not fully meet the needs of our increasingly popular public lands. To meet those needs, we’re uniting a coalition of outdoor advocates at Park Advocacy Day on February 25 in Albany, where we’ll be meeting with state legislators to push for further increases.
Looking to take action? Join our FY 2026 Budget Sign-On Letter for Public Lands Funding.
Park & Trail Partnership Grants
The Executive Budget proposes an increase of $500,000 to reach $2.5 million for the Park & Trail Partnership Grant program.
The Park & Trail Partnership Grant program funds grassroots nonprofit groups in maintaining and improving parks, trails, and other outdoor spaces across the state. In recent grant cycles, $5 million in requests went unmet. We’re seeking to increase the program to $4 million–$1.5 million more than proposed–to support additional shovel-ready projects and master plans, enhance public access to recreation, and upgrade infrastructure to meet growing visitation demands.
Connect Kids to Parks
The Executive Budget proposes an increase of $500,000 to reach $3.5 million for the Connect Kids program.
Connect Kids has introduced nearly 800,000 students to New York’s parks and historic sites since 2016. The program funds necessary transportation and outdoor education, but 250,000 students missed out on transformative outdoor experiences in 2024 due to lack of funding.
A more substantial increase to $4 million will come closer to meeting the tremendous demand for this program that allows students to participate in outdoor recreation and its educational and wellbeing benefits, creating more equality and access in New York’s public lands.
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation
The budget proposal maintains critical capital funding for the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation at $200 million per year.
This funding would strengthen the nearly $2 billion already spent revitalizing New York’s public lands over the past decade. These critical investments have allowed our state parks to welcome a record number of visitors in 2024–an amazing 88.3 million.
Department of Environmental Conversation
The budget proposal also maintains funding for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation at $90 million per year.
Despite record visitation and improved accessibility efforts, funding for the DEC has remained stagnant since before the pandemic. We look to the Governor to recognize the increasing popularity of the DEC’s sizable 5 million acres of land and accordingly allocate $100 million for the agency to meet its growing responsibilities.
Funding for public spaces not only boosts local economies, it improves the accessibility of outdoor recreation within neighboring communities and beyond. Public lands are for everyone, and with the right level of state investment, we can ensure they remain vital anchors of health, equity, and history for generations to come.