On October 20, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) announced 12 grants totaling $3.5 million to support wildlife habitat, climate change resilience, community conservation partnerships, and equitable access to nature in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The four Landscape Defense (Chesapeake WILD) Act grants awarded in Pennsylvania total $1,483,900 with a total value of $2,951,000--

-- WeConserve PA - Implementing Conservation Easements and Resource Management Planning - $150,000 Grant, Total Project $360,000: Support local Pennsylvania land trusts in implementing conservation easements and developing resource management plans to inform long-term restoration and stewardship of conserved habitat. Project will permanently protect 980 acres across more than a dozen individual land conservation projects.

-- Indiana University Of Pennsylvania Research Institute- Implementing Forest Management Practices to Promote Resiliency and Habitat - $341,200 Grant, Total Project $426,000: Design and implement crop tree management and variable density thinning practices in young forest stands to improve the resiliency of oak forests and enhance habitat structure for species of greatest conservation need. Project will result in 800 acres of forest stewardship activities, development of management practice guidelines, and outreach and training targeting agency and consulting foresters.

-- Western PA Conservancy - Improving Aquatic Organism Passage on Central State Gamelands - $500,000 Grant, Total Project $1,116,300: Complete aquatic organism passage projects on state game lands to benefit brook trout and other important and at-risk aquatic species. Project will result in 20 additional miles of accessible stream habitat through assessment and design, implementation, and monitoring of culvert replacement projects.

-- Western PA Conservancy - Protecting Critical Habitat and Water Quality in Western Tributaries - $492,700 Grant, Total Project $1,048,700: Permanently protect forestland, wetland, and high-quality riparian corridors that serve as critical habitat for species of greatest conservation need. Project will work with private foundations, state agencies, and landowners to conserve 1,000 acres across central Pennsylvania.

Click Here for a list of all projects funded.

The first step to achieve the goals of the Chesapeake Watershed Investments in Landscape Defense (Chesapeake WILD) Act, the new Chesapeake WILD grant program will leverage more than $4.7 million in grantee matching funds in its inaugural year, for a total conservation impact of $8.2 million.

“The first round of grants for Chesapeake WILD sets the stage for lasting conservation impact through investments in locally led initiatives that support the health and vitality of the watershed,” said Kyla Hastie, acting regional director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Northeast Region. “By complementing existing partnerships in the watershed, the program is helping to direct resources to unmet needs that reflect shared conservation priorities.”

“NFWF has been building a legacy of partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service since our Foundation’s creation by Congress nearly 40 years ago,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF. “The grants announced today as part of this important new WILD program demonstrate the power of public-private partnerships to generate measurable outcomes for wildlife and people, both within the Chesapeake Bay watershed and throughout the nation.”

The awards announced will result in the permanent protection of more than 3,300 acres of fish and wildlife habitat, the restoration of nearly 1,000 acres of forest and marsh habitat and more than 20 miles of rivers and streams across the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The projects will also improve opportunities for local communities to access and experience the benefits of natural spaces.

Click Here for the complete grant announcement.

For more information on this program, visit the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Landscape Defense (Chesapeake WILD) Act webpage.

[Posted: October 20, 2022]

10/24/2022