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National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, US Fish & Wildlife Announce $8.9 Million To Restore, Conserve Habitats In Chesapeake Bay Watershed

On August 27, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation announced the award of 30 grants totaling $8.9 million to support wildlife habitat, climate resilience, community conservation partnerships and equitable access to nature in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

This year’s slate of grants will advance the goals of the Chesapeake Watershed Investments in Landscape Defense (Chesapeake WILD) Program and leverage more than $13.7 million in grantee matching funds, for a total conservation impact of $22.6 million.

The awards announced will conserve more than 10,000 acres of fish and wildlife habitat, increase recreational access to 2,000 acres, restore nearly 100 miles of streamside forest habitat, and reconnect more than 1,500 miles of aquatic habitat for migratory fish species.

Pennsylvania Projects

Pennsylvania will benefit from these grant awards--

Wild Planning & Technical Assistance

-- Fish and Boat Commission - $75,000: Conservation Planning for Eastern Hellbender and Native Turtle Habitats in Pennsylvania State Parks - Conduct site-specific habitat management planning to prepare for future on-the-groundwork to benefit wood turtles, spotted turtles, eastern box turtles and eastern hellbenders. Project will improve existing knowledge of habitat use by these species within several Pennsylvania state parks and forests to provide a blueprint for plans to improve and maintain habitat for these four species.

-- Western PA Conservancy - $74,500: Conserving At-Risk Mussel Species in the Upper Susquehanna River Watershed (NY, PA) - Develop a strategy to improve conditions for freshwater mussels and other priority species in the upper portion of the Susquehanna River watershed. Project will collect distribution data through surveys, examine existing threats to the mussel population, and finalize an action plan for next steps for freshwater mussel conservation and community engagement around aquatic conservation.

Wild Implementation

-- Tioga County Soil & Water Conservation District (NY) - $500,000: Aligning Partnerships to Address Conservation Priorities in the Upper Susquehanna Watershed (NY, PA) - Strengthen collaboration and impact of conservation groups engaged in habitat stewardship and enhancement across the Upper Susquehanna River watershed. Project will enhance collaboration among more than 30 organizations to conserve more than 1,000 acres of land, restore 25 acres of riparian forest buffer and 5 acres of wetland and create 44 miles of improved public access reaching at least 16,000 people.

-- Hawk Mountain Sanctuary - $246,000: Conserving Farmland Raptors in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed (MD, PA) - Enhance nesting opportunities for imperiled farmland raptors within the Chesapeake Bay watershed, particularly the barn owl, American kestrel and northern harrier. Project will deploy 180 nest boxes in watershed restoration areas, work with watershed partners to conduct landowner outreach and public education to promote farmland raptor conservation and watershed improvements and share live webcam footage from an active box.

-- The Conservation Fund - $500,000: Expanding State Game Lands for Species Conservation in Northeast Pennsylvania - Permanently protect the 1,800-acre Carbondale Ridge property located north of Carbondale in northeastern Pennsylvania. Project will create a 4,000-acre wildlife corridor that will improve wildlife habitat for at-risk species such as northern long-eared bats and ruffed grouse, provide close to home outdoor recreation opportunities, and enhance water quality of the Chesapeake Bay drainage area of Susquehanna and Lackawanna River watersheds.

-- Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay - $500,000: Improving Forest Habitat in the Chesapeake with Woodland Stewardship Networks (MD, PA, VA, WV) - Improve forest landscape management by utilizing collaborative networks of woodland owners to scale forest management outcomes. Project will improve planning and management of more than 3,000 acres of forestland by providing free forest management plans to members of established regional woodland stewardship networks, and facilitating funding to implement forest management practices that are not otherwise commercially profitable.

-- The Trust for Public Land - $500,000: Preserving Recreational Access and Wildlife Habitat at Campbell’s Ledge (PA) - Permanently protect the 246-acre Campbell’s Ledge property in the Borough of Duryea in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. Project will partner with public agencies and conservation organizations to retain the site’s biodiversity, habitat integrity, and iconic landscape, and provide multiple public access benefits.

-- Western PA Conservancy - $500,000: Protecting Water Quality and Wildlife Habitat Through Conservation Easements in Pennsylvania - Pennsylvania’s Chesapeake Bay watershed through fee acquisitions and conservation easements. Project will protect more than 1,000 acres of habitat for imperiled species, along with forested slopes and riparian areas along West Creek, to benefit wood turtle, brook trout, Indiana bat, Allegheny woodrat, golden-winged warbler, cerulean warbler, freshwater mussels and other invertebrates.

Click Here for a full list of grants awarded.

“These funds help support partner-driven, locally led projects to improve water quality, enhance climate resilience, support conservation needs in vulnerable communities, and benefit residents and wildlife across the watershed now and well into the future,” said Service Director Martha Williams. “These investments help support a future for the Chesapeake Watershed where people and nature thrive in an interconnected way and where every community benefits from being part of a healthy watershed.”

“The Chesapeake WILD program fulfills a common goal between NFWF and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to conserve, steward, and enhance fish and wildlife habitats and related conservation values in the Chesapeake Bay watershed,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and chief executive officer of NFWF. “In marrying our legacy of partnership with the Service and our deep and lasting commitments to Chesapeake Bay watershed restoration, the WILD program presents new avenues to accelerate species and habitat restoration and conservation and community engagement in conservation across the region.”

Click Here for the complete announcement.

Visit the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation website for information on this and other funding opportunities.

Resource Links - NFWF:

-- National Fish & Wildlife Foundation Now Accepting Applications For Chesapeake Bay Innovative Nutrient & Sediment Reduction Grants; Sept. 12 Webinar [PaEN]

-- EPA, National Fish & Wildlife Foundation Award $22.4 Million To Support Innovative Nutrient & Sediment Reduction Projects In Chesapeake Bay Watershed; 8 Projects To Benefit PA [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week - Watersheds:

-- U.S. Fish And Wildlife Service, National Fish & Wildlife Foundation Announce Over $17 Million In Grants For Delaware River Basin Restoration [PaEN]

-- National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, US Fish & Wildlife Announce $8.9 Million To Restore, Conserve Habitats In Chesapeake Bay Watershed [PaEN]

-- DEP Releases 2023 Annual Report On Chesapeake Bay Watershed Celebrating Accomplishments Of Counties, Communities, State And Local Leaders [PaEN]

-- DEP Publishes Updated PAG-02 NPDES Stormwater General Permit [PaEN]

-- Conservation Innovation Fund, Kennett Twp., Chester County Receive Ground-Breaking Stormwater Permit Relying On Nature-Based Solutions [PaEN]

-- USDA NRCS-PA: Cropland Farmers May Be Contacted During Conservation Effects Assessment Survey