The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation this week announced $793,500 in grant awards to 22 local nonprofit organizations and governments to fund conservation projects under the Delaware Estuary Watershed Grants Program.

The announcement included ten projects in Pennsylvania to improve fish passage and habitat and open 3.5 miles of open water for fish; a project that involves innovative restoration at a farm, a living demonstration site at a pond to teach 8,000 visitors annually about the habitat, and a project to work with ports. They include:

Cheltenham Dam Removal and Habitat Restoration, Tacony Creek, Elkins Park, Montgomery County: Cheltenham Township will remove a dam opening 3.5 miles of passage for American and Hickory shad. Over 900 feet of riparian habitat will be restored establishing connectivity to the adjacent greenways of Tacony Creek Park and Tookany Park.

More than 450 feet of self-maintaining stream channel will be created reducing flooding and erosion and allowing natural processes to re-establish stream habitat. The project builds upon a public environmental stewardship program focused on restoring Tacony Creek. The Fish and Boat Commission is a project partner. $35,000 grant, with $37,000 local match.

Awbury Arboretum Stormwater Wetlands, Awbury Arboretum Association, Philadelphia: The Awbury Arboretum Association will remove exotic vegetation and restore one acre of the Wingohocking Creek wetlands and redesign pond spillways to reduce the impact of storm flows on the riparian zone. The wetland, pond and riparian zone are one of the remaining natural unfilled areas of this part of the western Tacony-Frankford Creek River Watershed.

The project also involves outreach to neighborhood residents and community leaders about watershed protection, wetlands preservation and urban stormwater management. The wetlands will serve as a living laboratory for 500 K-8 local school children, 24 teachers seeking credit in environmental science; and three colleges and 100 visitors and community service volunteers. The Philadelphia Water Department is a partner on the program. $25,000 grant, with $109,200 match.

Stream and Habitat Restoration on Pennypack Creek, Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust, Lower Moreland Township, Montgomery County: The Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust will stabilize 600 feet of steep and undercut stream bank, restore that bank with native plants and reduce the channel width to enhance stream habitat on Pennypack Creek. The restoration will involve 15 volunteers from the local Trout Unlimited Chapter. The project builds on the prior removal of the Bethayres Dam in 2005 which opened 7.5 miles of fish passage and restored 2.5 acres of stream and riparian habitat on Pennypak Creek. $25,000 grant, $800 match.

Darby Creek Dam Removal and Habitat Restoration, Boroughs of Darby, Lansdowne, Colwyn, Clifton Heights and Upper Darby Township, Montgomery County: American Rivers will survey, design and plan for removal of three dams and a remnant bridge abutment and develop a final plan to restore habitat for migratory and resident fish along a 9.7 miles of Darby Creek. Partners include the Fish and Boat Commission, Delaware Riverkeeper Network, Darby Creek Valley Association and the five local governments. $50,000 grant, with $48,000 match.

Crabby Creek Restoration, Valley Forge Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Tredyffrin Township, Montgomery County: Trout Unlimited will restore 1,200 linear feet of Crabby Creek where several upper tributaries come together using step pools, vanes and cribs to reduce sediment load to downstream habitat and spawning areas for brown trout. This project is the first part of a project to restore the creek system through a combination of stormwater management, floodplain reconnection, streambank stabilization and in-stream habitat improvements. Project partners include Valley Creek Restoration Partnership and Valley Creek Trustee Council. $20,000 grant, $14,500 match.

Lindquist Farm/Watson Creek Habitat Restoration, Bucks County Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Buckingham Township, Bucks County: Bucks County Trout Unlimited will remove a concrete dam to enhance fish passage for brown trout, install 1,500 feet of forested riparian buffer and stabilize 500 feet of eroding stream bank along Watson Creek. The project builds on a prior DEWGP award which assessed the restoration priorities in the Mill Creek Watershed. Project partners include Bucks County Conservation District, Buckingham Township and Fish and Boat Commission. $42,000 grant, with $59,000 match.

PRC Pond/Wetland Restoration, Pennsylvania Resources Council, Ridley Creek State Park, Delaware County: The Pennsylvania Resources Council will restore and monitor a .75 acre pond and wetland at the headwaters of a tributary to Ridley Creek to improve habitat for waterfowl and migratory birds and to reduce nitrates from a horse farm in Ridley Creek State Park.

The site will be part of the PRC Environmental Living Demonstration Center used to teach 8,000 plus students and visitors about wetlands, native plants and animals and restoration through events like the Neuman College annual Frog Frolic focused on native amphibians and research on the long tailed salamander.

Twenty-five students from Garnet Valley High School will be involved in the restoration as will Delaware County Community Service crews. Partners include Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Delaware County Conservation District. $10,000 grant, with $12,100 match.

Environmental Assessment and Action Plan for the Haverford State Hospital Site, Haverford Township, Delaware County: The Citizens Haverford State Advisory Board will develop a stewardship plan to preserve and restore 129 acres of riparian, wetland and hardwood forest habitat including investigating removing barriers to fish passage along to brooks that drain into Darby Creek. The plan will also have a strong environmental education element, propose water monitoring stations, integrate a trail system associated with key habitats and involves outreach to the public and Haverford Township to assure plan adoption. Partners include Haverford Township, its Parks and Recreation Department and school district, the Math Science Partnership of Greater Philadelphia, Haverford Hills Associates, Bryn Mawr College and numerous other community organizations. $45,000 grant, with $62,800 match.

Program to Develop Best Management Practices to Prevent Stormwater Pollution Runoff at Philadelphia Area Ports, Clean Air Council, Philadelphia: The Clean Air Council will develop a baseline assessment of practices and conduct outreach with the goal of establishing a suite of voluntary best management practices to respond to stormwater runoff at Philadelphia ports.

The project is designed to build upon a base of cooperative relationships between community groups and port operators and establish voluntary pilot implementations of the BMPs. The project will involve recognition ceremonies. Partners include members of the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority system, and collaborating organizations of the Port Environmental Task Force such as: Philadelphia Water Department, Pilot’s Association for the Bay and River Delaware, Camden Iron & Metal, Greenwich Terminals, NJ and Department of Environmental Protection, U.S. Coast Guard, South Jersey Port Corporation, CSX Rail et al. $45,000 grant, with $10,789 match.

Historic Rittenhouse Town Riparian Buffer Improvement Project, Center in the Park, Senior Environment Corps, Fairmount Park, Philadelphia: Center in the Park’s Senior Environment Corps will control invasive vegetation and replant native species along 700 foot (with 20-75 foot buffer) of Monoshone Creek in Fairmont Park. The project will also develop an educational and interpretive program. $14,000 grant, with $20,455 match.

Restoration Assistance for the Delaware Estuary III, Delaware Riverkeeper Network:

The Delaware Riverkeeper Network will provide assessment, project design, and planning as well as other forms of restoration assistance “free of charge” to landowners, municipalities, and watershed organizations across the three-state estuary. This project is projected to result in on-the-ground restoration of 5,000 linear feet, including 40-acres of terrestrial and aquatic habitat, and the improved restoration management of 6,000 linear feet, including 50-acres of terrestrial and aquatic habitat.

No cost technical assistance to watershed organizations and other local entities helps overcome technical and logistical issues which can lead to failed projects. The overall goal of this continuing project is to ensure effective and sustainable success in local restoration. Since 2003, Delaware Riverkeeper Network has provided restoration assistance to 25 sites in Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Project partners are a combination of 35 local, state and federal entities. $50,000 grant, with $50,000 match.

“One of the greatest environmental challenges facing our communities is the protection and restoration of estuaries,” said Thomas Kelsch, Conservation Director, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. “The funding awarded today represents the Foundation’s commitment to building broad public/private partnerships to improve the overall health of the Delaware Estuary.”

Major funding for this grant program comes from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a settlement provided by the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney’s Office, New Jersey, BP Foundation, William Penn Foundation.

"What makes the Delaware Estuary so dynamic is its direct connection to the health of our natural resources and the quality of life in our communities," said Cathy Curran Myers, Deputy Secretary for Water Management at the Department of Environmental Protection. "Right now, many areas in the estuary face increasing pressure from development, shoreline erosion, biodiversity loss and nonpoint source pollution. Sound management of these resources is vital to both the environmental and economic health of Pennsylvania. DEP is pleased to support the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation in these restoration and education efforts."

“The BP Foundation is pleased to be a major sponsor of the Delaware Estuary Grants Programs," said Pat Wright, BP Foundation President. “We're excited by the projects selected for this year's awards and their impact on the ecological health of the estuary. We're also delighted that the projects we've funded in the past have already shown encouraging results.”

“As the a National Estuary Program, we appreciate the great work National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Delaware Estuary Grant Program funding provides for in the Estuary,” said Kathy Klein, Executive Director of the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary. “Habitat restoration is a critical component to implementing the Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan. We applaud the opportunity that NFWF has continued to provide to organizations in our region.”

For more information visit the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation website.

Link: Partnership for the Delaware Estuary

12/22/2006