On November 10, U.S. Dept. Of The Interior and  National Fish & Wildlife Foundation joined public- and private-sector partners to announce nearly $91 million in grants through the America the Beautiful Challenge (ATBC).

The 55 new grants will support landscape-scale conservation projects in 42 states, three U.S. territories and for 14 Tribal Nations, leveraging $50.7 million in matching contributions to generate a total conservation impact of about $141.7 million.

Two of the grants will benefit Pennsylvania--

-- Game Commission - $2.6 Million - Targeted Grassland Habitat Restoration and Management in Priority Pennsylvania Landscapes: Increase priority grassland habitats for at-risk bird species in targeted geographies across Pennsylvania. By enhancing capacity to manage and restore grassland habitat, project will increase species population resiliency through native habitat planting, herbicide application, invasive species management, and prescribed fire on high quality public lands habitat while facilitating the expansion of these techniques onto private lands.

-- Stockbridge-Munsee Community (DE, PA, NJ, NY) - $723,200 - Developing a Lënapehòkink Cultural Heritage Homelands Fellowship Along the Delaware River: Bring Lenape Tribal youth back to ancestral lands, the Lënapehòkink, within the Delaware River watershed and in portions of New York to cultivate Tribal identity, cultural resilience, and provide career-orienting experiences and pathways for Tribal youth. The partnership between three federally recognized Lenape Tribes will coordinate the youth immersion program, support 18 youth fellowship positions, develop a program framework and create a long-term sustainability plan for the program.

“Nature is essential to the health, well-being and prosperity of every family and every community in America,” said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. “Through the America the Beautiful Challenge, we are investing in projects that advance collaborative conservation utilizing the best available science, innovative practices, and Indigenous Knowledge to help conserve and protect our lands and waters. This work will create jobs, strengthen our economy, address equitable access to the outdoors, and help tackle the climate crisis.”

“The inaugural year of the America the Beautiful Challenge shows what’s possible when partners go all-in on a collaborative approach to providing resources for locally led restoration efforts,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF. “These grants will support voluntary landscape-scale conservation efforts that will restore fish and wildlife habitats across the nation and build a brighter future for all of us.”

Click Here for the full list of projects funded.  Click Here for the complete announcement.

For more information on the program, visit the DOI’s America the Beautiful Challenge webpage.

[Posted: November 12, 2022]

11/14/2022