New Yorkers who live in more urban areas know finding a quiet, cool space can be difficult during summer months, but there may be more shaded areas to choose from soon across the state. Federal aid is set to help the Empire State become greener.

Researchers with the University at Albany’s Department of Geography and Planning are working to improve the health of the Albany’s urban forests with the Radix Ecological Sustainability Center.

“Radix is an urban environmental education center where we’re building a demonstration site of sustainable tools and technology in the South End of Albany,” the educational director, Scott Kellogg, said.

It’s part of a project they call Urban Climate Adaptation of Forest Ecosystems with Disadvantaged Communities and Youth in Albany.

“We are literally planting the seeds for efforts that are going to have benefits into the future,” Kellogg said.

And they’ll have help doing so thanks to a $5 million federal grant from the Department of Agriculture. It’s part of a $1 billion overall investment, assisting similar projects across country.

“Green space correlates well with health of residents,” UAlbany professor of biodiversity, conservation and policy Andrei Lapenas said. “It correlates well with air quality."

Not to mention temperature control. A quick reading of a street without tree cover, Thursday afternoon showed a temperature higher than 90 degrees.

“Now we can measure temperature of the tree,” said Lapenas. “And the temperature of the tree is 68.”

The issues are not unique to the Capital Region.

“Some blocks in the northeast have 30% less tree cover,” said presidential clean energy innovation and implementation advisor John Podesta. “And are hotter by seven degrees Fahrenheit compared to wealthier areas.”

Projects in the Empire State received more than $73 million, the second most of any other state.

• The Buffalo Equity in Street Trees or BEST program will receive $8 million to assist in planting more trees and their care in disadvantaged communities
• $3 million will support the City of Rochester in creating a more equitable distribution of trees with an emphasis in the Northeast portion of the city 
• In Syracuse $1 million will help mobilize 5,000 people involved with community and youth organizations to improve tree equity and education over the next five years
• $9 million is being rewarded to the Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board, which will deploy resources to a number of communities across several counties, including Onondaga and Oswego
• And in the Hudson Valley, $500,000 will help establish and fill an Urban Forester position in the City of Kingston

“The work of planting trees, maintaining them, keeping them alive and educating people about them certainly requires energy, work and that costs money,” Kellogg said. “So it's great to have some support to do this critical work.”