Washington, DC (August 29, 2024) – The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) today announced the award of 45 grants totaling over $17.3 million, a significant increase from last year’s $14.9 million. This year’s grants will fund projects in four focus areas: restoring fish and wildlife habitat, reducing community flooding, improving water quality, and improving safe public access to recreation. The grants will generate nearly $20.7 million in grant funding, for a total conservation impact of $38 million.
“The Delaware River, which stretches nearly 330 miles through the Mid-Atlantic region, is both a source of drinking water for more than 15 million people and critical habitat for important wildlife species, including threatened red knots and endangered horseshoe crabs, forest birds recovering from decline, and salt marsh buntings,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF. “The 45 projects announced today will help ensure a healthier, cleaner, and more resilient future for the Delaware River basin and the communities and species that depend on it.”
These grants were awarded through the Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund (DWCF), which is funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and received additional support this year from the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, AstraZeneca and the William Penn Foundation.
“President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is helping improve people’s lives and wildlife habitat,” said Service Director Martha Williams. “In Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York, these investments are transforming asphalt surfaces into rain gardens, reconnecting rivers and streams and using nature-based approaches to meet community needs, including responding to the impacts of climate change.”
The funding includes more than $4.7 million from the bipartisan Infrastructure Act for six projects aimed at improving public access, recreational opportunities and water quality, as well as enhancing shoreline and critical habitats.
“We are committed to contributing to a sustainable future through the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. This is critical to building a healthy future for people and the planet. We are excited to work with local partners and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to restore nature and do our part to create harmony between society and the natural environment. Together we can drive positive change,” said Joris Silon, US Country President, BioPharmaceuticals Business Unit, AstraZeneca.
The grants announced today will enhance more than 4,000 acres of forest habitat through improved management, restore over 8 acres of beach habitat, plant over 7,000 trees, and open more than 470 acres to the public. The projects will help advance the goals of the Delaware River Basin Conservation Act, NFWF’s Delaware Watershed Business Plan, and the Delaware River Watershed Initiative.
“We are pleased to partner with NFWF and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on these strategic investments to encourage voluntary adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices on farmland,” said NRCS Chief Terry Cosby. “This effort will strengthen the delivery of technical assistance to American landowners to improve forest health, restore wetlands, and improve water quality. This will benefit species like the Golden-winged Warbler and American Black Duck while maintaining economic opportunities for local communities.”
The grants include:
- In Delaware, $169,000 to the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary to investigate the feasibility of establishing floating treatment wetlands and living riparian zones to improve fish and wildlife habitat in the urban Christina River to implement one element of the recently completed Christina Brandywine Remediation Restoration and Resilience Initiative’s Wilmington Rivers Restoration Plan.
- In New Jersey, $1.5 million to the American Coastal Society to restore critical beach habitat for horseshoe crabs, knots and other shorebirds at Thompson’s Beach in Delaware Bay.
- In New York, $779,000 to Unlimited Trout Reconnect 9.5 miles of stream and complete plans for future restoration to improve important brook trout habitat in the upper Delaware River.
- In Pennsylvania, $127,000 to Berks County Conservation District to assist forest owners in participating in cost-share programs for forest management and to improve forest health, Golden-winged Warbler habitat, and resilience in the Kittatinny and Schuylkill Highland Conservation Areas.
Established in 2018, the Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund is funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to achieve the goals of the Delaware River Basin Conservation Act. The Act guides and supports federal, state, regional, and local partners to collaboratively identify, prioritize, and implement actions to restore and conserve habitat in the watershed.
The Delaware River basin covers 13,400 square miles of land and water, flowing from the Catskills in New York through Pennsylvania and New Jersey to Delaware Bay. Despite its location within a large metropolitan area, the basin is home to a remarkable diversity of species and habitats—from cold mountain streams to tidal salt marshes—that are economically, ecologically, and culturally important to the region.
Urban and suburban waterways play an important role in the communities of the basin, with their headwaters in neighboring rural and agricultural areas. In these diverse landscapes, grant projects are being implemented to improve wildlife habitat and human communities, accelerate the implementation of best practices, provide opportunities for people to engage with nature, and ultimately improve water quality locally and for people downstream.
A complete list of 2024 grants awarded through the Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund projects can be found here. For more information on NFWF’s efforts on the Delaware River, visit www.nfwf.org/delaware. To learn more about the bipartisan infrastructure bill, click here.
About the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Established by Congress in 1984, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) protects and restores the nation’s fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Working with federal, corporate, foundation and private partners, NFWF has funded over 6,800 organizations and has raised over $10 billion in total for conservation. NFWF is an equal opportunity provider. For more information, visit nfwf.org.
About the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the long-term benefit of the American people. For more information, visit www.fws.gov.
About the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that provides individualized, personalized advice on the best solutions to meet the unique conservation and business goals of those who grow our nation’s food and fiber. NRCS helps landowners invest in their operations and local communities to preserve productive land, boost rural economies, increase the competitiveness of American agriculture, and improve the health of our air, water, and soil. NRCS also generates, manages, and shares the data, research, and standards that enable partners and policymakers to make decisions based on objective, reliable science. Put more simply, NRCS’s focus is “Helping People Help the Land.” For more information, visit www.nrcs.usda.gov.
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Contact:
Rob Blumenthal, 202-857-0166, [email protected]