Projects in Sidney and Cobleskill are among those being funded by grants announced Thursday by the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

Commissioner Erin M. Crotty announced $158,500 in Urban and Community Forestry grants to help local communities protect trees in parks and along city streets.

Included is $3,500 to plant 28 trees in the redevelopment of Sherwood Heights. Sidney Mayor Jim Warren said this will be in addition to the twice-a-year planting the village does as part of Tree City USA, which regularly adds trees throughout the village.

As part of this, the village has demolished 19 vacant, multiple-family buildings, in the area surrounded by Johnston Circle and Bird Avenue.

The village of Cobleskill was also awarded a $3,500 grant. Officials said the money will be used to develop a tree inventory for its parks and streets. An additional 14 trees will also be planted.

The grants are funded with $97,500 from the state Environmental Protection Fund and $61,000 from the Community Forestry Program, which is administered by the U.S. Forestry Service.

Overall, funding for 21 community projects throughout the state were included in the announcement.