CDFW Pronounces $20.4 Million in Grant Funding to Shield Salmon Habitat and Different California Fish and Wildlife Species Statewide
The California Division of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is happy to announce $20.4 million in awards to fifteen initiatives to enhance salmon habitat and help local weather resiliency, wildlife corridors and wetlands restoration. That is the third spherical of grant awards made in 2023 with funding made out there final 12 months below Drought, Local weather and Nature-Based mostly Options Initiatives, bringing the whole grant funding awarded to just about $80 million.
“As local weather pushed challenges to California’s biodiversity proceed to develop and shift, our personal methods for brand new initiatives should adapt,” mentioned CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham. “Saving salmon and rebuilding their populations for Californians is the aim and we’re assembly these challenges head on.”
CDFW has developed a single set of Basic Grant Program Pointers to get restoration accomplished quicker. CDFW continues to just accept purposes for brand new initiatives and make awards on an ongoing foundation. An outline of eligible challenge varieties, priorities and data is obtainable at www.wildlife.ca.gov/grants.
Defending Species and Habitats Statewide
Tasks awarded with Drought for Salmon Safety and Wildlife Corridors funds will help planning and implementation of initiatives to reinforce habitat for salmon by way of eradicating limitations to fish passage, restoring flows and offering essential habitat for juvenile rearing salmonids.
Inside CDFW’s Inland Desert Area, two new initiatives supported with Addressing Local weather Impression funds can even concentrate on the results of climate-driven climate whiplash on each the arroyo toad and the desert salamander.
All through central and northern California, Wetlands and Mountain Meadows funds will help initiatives to revive and improve floodplains, wetlands and mountain meadows to profit fish and wildlife species and their habitat. Work will embrace enhancing waterfowl habitat on Battle Creek in Shasta County.Â
View all initiatives awarded in the present day on-line.
Growing Tempo and Scale of Restoration
Up to now 90 days, CDFW has awarded a complete of slightly below $80 million to 53 initiatives statewide from the $200 million in new initiatives made out there this 12 months. CDFW has streamlined the processes for making use of for funding, reviewing and finalizing awards, and getting agreements in place so initiatives can begin with out delays. Tasks awarded in March and April of 2023 have agreements in place and are presently beginning work.
CDFW’s Reducing the Inexperienced Tape Program has streamlined the grant course of and continues to enhance allowing and environmental evaluation of restoration initiatives statewide.
- The First Slough Fish Passage, Floodplain Restoration and Coastal Habitat Connectivity Undertaking, awarded grant funds on this spherical, is transferring ahead with implementation with the help of a latest concurrence by way of CDFW’s Statutory Exemption for Restoration Tasks course of.
- The Bull Creek Hamilton Floodplain Restoration Undertaking, additionally awarded funding on this spherical, just lately labored with the Reducing the Inexperienced Tape program to safe a streamlined Restoration Administration Allow.
These two challenge efficiencies alone have saved an estimated $100,000 and numerous hours which might now be diverted to extra restoration.
The tempo and scale of CDFW grant funding has additionally been led by sister companies together with the Wildlife Conservation Board, who within the first two months of 2023 awarded slightly below $70 million in block grants and one other $59 million to particular person initiatives for the enhancement and safety of California biodiversity.
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Background
This grant funding helps key initiatives together with conserving 30 % of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030 below California’s 30×30 initiative, Nature-Based mostly Options and growing the tempo and scale of restoration by way of Reducing Inexperienced Tape.
Extra details about these funding alternatives, together with pointers and easy methods to apply, normal details about CDFW’s grant packages, in addition to a schedule for upcoming grant solicitations, as soon as out there, could be discovered at www.wildlife.ca.gov/grants.
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Media contacts:
Matt Wells, CDFW Watershed Restoration Grant Department, (916) 216-7848
Jordan Traverso, CDFW Communications, (916) 212-7352