Local environmental programs get boost through RWA grants

NEW HAVEN — Two local environmental initiatives will receive a boost through recent grant awards.

The Regional Water Authority’s Claire C. Bennitt Watershed Fund has awarded $10,000 each to the New Haven Ecology Project and New Haven Urban Resources Initiative, according to a release.

The funding for New Haven Ecology Project’s Schoolyards Program will support the “creation, effective use and maintenance” of gardens, habitats and outdoor classrooms at Common Ground High School, while the award to New Haven Urban Resources Initiative will help support its GreenSkills

Tree Planting and Outreach program, the release said. Through the program, city residents can request that a tree be planted, for free, on their property.

“These initiatives are strongly aligned with the Claire C. Bennitt Watershed Fund’s mission to protect water quality throughout the region,” Brian M. Stone, Claire C. Bennitt Watershed Fund president, said in the release. “We hope to strengthen community involvement by supporting these efforts to promote the importance of environmental awareness and protection of our water supply.”

The funding aims to protect and grow natural resources, the release said.

“High-quality drinking water is a precious natural resource, and providing that resource starts with source protection,” Larry Bingaman, president and CEO of the RWA, said in the release. “Through environmental education programs, we can inspire young minds, compel them to action and work together to protect these resources for generations to come.”