On September 4, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation announced $23.8 million in grant awards to support water quality improvement, habitat restoration and community stewardship efforts in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The 56 grants will leverage $12.8 million in matching contributions to generate a total conservation impact of $36.6 million. 

Seventeen of the grants will benefit Pennsylvania’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed worth $7.5 million with a match of just under $4.6 million for a total impact of $12.1 million.

The grants were awarded through the Small Watershed Grants (SWG) program, a key funding mechanism of the federal-state Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) partnership designed to support projects within the Chesapeake Bay watershed that promote voluntary, community-based efforts to protect and restore the diverse and vital habitats of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributary rivers and streams.

Major funding for these awards is provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, with additional support provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Forest Service and Altria Group.

“Today’s awards further NFWF’s longstanding goals for advancing voluntary habitat and watershed restoration and conservation efforts across all 64,000 square miles of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, from the shores of the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland and Virginia to its headwaters streams and forests across Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF. “Through strategic investing, and by leveraging local on-the-ground conservation leadership and expertise, we’re demonstrating how efforts to help the Bay can provide real and meaningful value to local communities and stakeholders across the watershed.”

“Investments such as these are paramount to ensuring progress across the Bay and in all sectors,” said EPA Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “We are proud to work with our partners and fund these projects to make a difference in the restoration of the Bay watershed.”

Pennsylvania Projects

Grants benefiting Pennsylvania include--

-- Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay - Expanding the Chesapeake Seedling Cooperative to Support Community-Based Watershed Conservation (PA): $150,000: Engage volunteers in growing native trees from seed to expand seedling capacity necessary to support riparian restoration and reforestation projects and better engage watershed residents in the restoration effort. Project will engage 250 community members, plant 6,000 native tree seedlings, and create a transferable guide and educational curriculum to spread the idea and further strengthen the partnership around tree planting in southcentral Pennsylvania.

-- Bradford County Conservation District - Planning for Accelerated Stream and Forest Restoration in Bradford County (PA) - $141,000: Accelerate the development of stream and forest restoration plans to achieve goals set forth in Bradford County’s Watershed Implementation Plan. Project will address erosion and deforestation throughout Bradford County by developing stream rehabilitation designs and reforestation plans.

-- PA Organization for Watersheds and Rivers - Supporting Community-Based Watershed Organizations in Pennsylvania’s Chesapeake Bay Watershed (PA) - $118,100: Enhance the capacity of at least seven community-based watershed organizations in Pennsylvania’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Project will enable future on-the-ground watershed restoration projects through leadership and community assessments, strategic planning, communication and social marketing initiatives, and other technical and organization assistance activities that prioritize habitat, riparian and stormwater management improvement projects.

-- The Trust for Public Land - Willard Elementary Green Schoolyard Design (Philadelphia, PA) - $150,000:  Collaborate with the Frances Willard Elementary School community for the design of a half-acre green community schoolyard. Project will provide opportunities to advance stormwater management and climate-resilience practices at the school, engage students and residents in the schoolyard’s development through hands-on environmental education and design activities, and advance community knowledge about the importance of green spaces and their critical roles in supporting a healthy, vibrant watershed.

-- Stroud Water Research Center - Accelerating Forest Buffer Restoration and Conservation Infrastructure on Pennsylvania Farms - $1,000,000: Accelerate implementation of riparian forest buffers, livestock exclusion practices, and other agricultural conservation practices on farms in northern and southcentral Pennsylvania. Project will work with at least six farms to install more than 2 miles of livestock exclusion fencing and restore 27 acres of riparian vegetative buffers.

-- Capital Resource Conservation and Development Area Council - Bolstering Agricultural Best Management Practices Across Pennsylvania’s Capital Region - $932,900: Implement farm conservation planning strategies and agricultural Best Management Practices across southcentral Pennsylvania’s capital region. Project will restore 4.5 miles of riparian habitat and install 3 miles of livestock exclusion fencing.

-- WeConservePA - Building Capacity of Pennsylvania Land Trusts to Protect Water Quality and Critical Habitats - $150,000: Project will provide land trusts with financial assistance to conduct planning work and cover transaction fees in support of conservation easements, ensuring quality legal, title, survey and baseline documentation work crucial for easements to deliver conservation value in perpetuity.

-- Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay - Collaborating to Implement Regenerative Poultry Production in Pennsylvania - $500,000: Advance conservation adoption on poultry farms in Pennsylvania through the creation of regenerative poultry standards aimed at reducing polluter runoff, enhancing native habitat and agricultural production, and increasing capacity for climate-smart agriculture. Project will implement manure and mortality management facilities, riparian and vegetative environmental buffers, no-till and diverse cover crop plantings to impact 120 acres of agricultural production.

-- Trout Unlimited - Reconnecting and Restoring Brook Trout Habitat in the Pine Creek Watershed (PA) - $936,800: Expand stronghold brook trout habitats along Lick Run in Pennsylvania’s Pine Creek watershed by replacing three failing, undersized culverts that are current barriers to aquatic organism passage, reducing nonpoint source sediment pollution by improving dirt and gravel roads, and using strategic wood addition to enhance habitat on 0.75 miles of Deer Lick Hollow, a tributary to Lick Run. Project will open 7.5 miles of upstream habitat critical for brook trout.

-- Trout Unlimited Doc Fritchey Chapter - Restoring Upper Hammer Creek for Brook Trout and Black Duck Habitat Enhancement (PA) - $782,500: Restore Hammer Creek and enhance brook trout and black duck habitat in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. Project will restore 8,225 linear feet of headwater stream and reconnect 3.9 acres of floodplain and wetlands by removing legacy sediments, creating favorable ecological conditions, enhancing stream habitats, mitigating erosion, improving nutrient processing, promoting groundwater recharge, creating recreational spaces, and fostering biodiversity for brook trout and black duck populations.

-- Manchester Township, York County - Stream Restoration for Water Quality and Climate Resiliency in the Codorus Creek Watershed (PA) - $692,600: Reduce pollutants to enhance water quality in the Lower Susquehanna River Basin of Pennsylvania. Project will mitigate flooding and restore a degraded stream, enhance recreation and provide education on water resources and climate resilience.

Grants benefiting multiple states, including Pennsylvania-

-- Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay - Leveraging Corporate Investments to Implement Conservation Practices on Dairy Farms (NY, PA) - $500,000: Leverage corporate investments and partnerships to install agricultural conservation practices on dairy farms in New York and Pennsylvania to reduce agricultural runoff to the Chesapeake Bay, restore riparian ecosystems, improve stream health, increase habitat for wildlife, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and ensure long-term resilience for the region’s dairy industry. Project will restore more than 2 miles of riparian forest habitat and reduce sediment runoff by more than 500 tons annually.

-- Gunpowder Valley Conservancy - Building an Inclusive Gunpowder Watershed Restoration Collaborative (MD, PA) - $149,300: Deliver training to watershed-restoration partners and conduct outreach to historically underserved communities and rural communities in the Gunpowder watershed. Project will develop a more inclusive Gunpowder watershed collaborative of organizations working together for clean water in the watershed and create a list of diverse property owners who are willing to plant trees and install green infrastructure on their property.

--  Chesapeake Research Consortium - Engaging Underrepresented Students of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed (DC, DE, MD, NY, PA, VA, WV) - $150,000: Engage diverse students through individually tailored programs and mentorship to advance leadership in environmental and conservation fields. Project will recruit and mentor college students who are underrepresented in environmental research and management professions to create a generation that will not only significantly contribute to meeting the long-term goals for Chesapeake Bay watershed restoration but also build upon and sustain those efforts for generations.

-- National Wildlife Federation - Building Capacity for the Chesapeake Restoration Effort (DC, DE, MD, NY, PA, VA, WV) - $320,000: Enhance capacity to advance watershed restoration projects and practices across the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Project will increase collaboration and coordination among the nonprofit and stakeholder community in order to support the Bay restoration effort by bringing together leaders from local watershed organizations, environmental and conservation organizations, the philanthropic community, government officials, and businesses for education, networking and enhanced coordination.

-- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science - Enhancing Citizen Engagement through the Chesapeake Bay Report Card (DC, DE, MD, NY, PA, VA, WV) - $543,000: Improve the delivery and relevance to watershed citizens of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Report Card by integrating socially relevant indicators and community perspectives on watershed ecosystem health. Project will engage a wide range of diverse stakeholders, enhance their understanding of the interconnected components of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, create new pathways for change, and foster partnerships and capacity-building for community and environmental improvement.

-- Chesapeake Stormwater Network - Enhancing Local Capacity to Maximize Nutrient Reductions in Urban Watersheds of the Chesapeake Bay - $330,000: Deliver core stormwater training programs to the stormwater management community across the Chesapeake Bay watershed, expanding focus on more diverse audiences of existing and emerging stormwater professionals. Project will strengthen the capacity of the stormwater sector through professional development and updated trainings to accelerate implementation and improve local stormwater programs through an emphasis on maintenance, climate resilience and community-based project planning.

Click Here for a list of grants awarded.  Click Here for complete announcement.

Since 1999, NFWF has awarded more than 1,300 grants through the Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund, totaling more than $248 million in funding to local, on-the-ground restoration and technical assistance projects, leveraged by more than $351 million in local matching resources.

For more information about programs benefiting the Chesapeake Bay, visit the NFWF Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund webpage.

Related Articles - Watersheds:

-- Penn State Extension Center for Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training To Hold 3  Multi-Day In-Person Ag Conservation Keystone Training Workshops In October  [PaEN]

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Trees For Graziers Host 2 Silvopasture Farm Walks On Sept. 4 In York County, Sept. 11 In Lebanon County  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Extension Offers 3-Part Webinar Series On On-Lot Septic Systems Starting Oct. 1  [PaEN]

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation Holds Watershed Exploration Programs For Students In Grades 6 to 12 From 8 PA Schools In September, October  [PaEN]

-- Upper Delaware Council Announces Honorees For 36th Annual River Valley Awards, Including 4 From Pennsylvania  [PaEN] 

-- Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy Seeks Volunteers For Annual Plant-A-Thon Set To Plant 10,000 Native Trees, Shrubs, Perennials Throughout The 4-County Watershed  [PaEN]

-- Pike, Wayne Conservation Districts, Trout Unlimited Chapter Partner On New Stream Keepers Youth Program Oct. 5   [PaEN]

NewClips:

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal - Karl Blankenship: Why Reducing Farm Pollution In The Chesapeake Bay Region Is A Complex Problem

-- USDA Grant To Fund Penn State AI-Powered Research Into Nitrate Pollution Measurements Database In Chesapeake Bay, Ohio River, Upper Mississippi River Watersheds

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: Record National Fish & Wildlife Foundation Funding For Delaware Watershed Restoration In PA, DE, NJ

-- MCall: Stormwater Management Plan Vital For Lehigh Valley’s Future

-- Pike County Conservation District: How To Properly Maintain Your On-Lot Septic System

-- Williamsport Sun: Susquehanna Greenway Mini-Grant Applications Now Being Accepted

-- Williamsport Sun: Winners Of Susquehanna Greenway Photo Contest Announced

-- Warren Times: Warren Conservation District Accepting Photo Contest Submissions Until Sept. 13

-- Williamsport Sun: Susquehanna TU Chapter Meets Sept. 11 For Picnic, Update On Conservation Projects

[Posted: September 4, 2024]

9/9/2024