Pennsylvania

Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
Accelerating Agricultural Conservation Through the Corporate Partnership Model in Pennsylvania
Partner with corporations to implement best management practices on the Pennsylvania dairy farms that supply their milk. Project will reduce agricultural nitrogen loads and improve water quality through implementation of targeted agricultural and forest best management practices.
$1,000,000

Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
Accelerating Riparian Forest Buffer Implementation in the Mason Dixon Region (MD, PA)
Develop and pilot a conservation incentive program that accelerates the adoption and establishment of riparian forest buffers by agricultural producers in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Project will restore 35 miles of critical riparian habitat and result in the planting of nearly 50,000 trees.
$500,000

Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
Agricultural Conservation Planning for Impact with Dairy Farmers of America (PA)
Complete six preliminary concept plans for agricultural conservation practices for producer members of the Dairy Farmers for America cooperative in order to improve water quality in south-central Pennsylvania.
$75,000

Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
Boosting Implementation of Agricultural Best Management Practices (PA)
Implement best management practices on farms in Pennsylvania’s Lancaster, Union, and Chester Counties. Project will leverage existing partnerships and corporate resources to provide cost-share programs and direct implementation support for targeted water quality and conservation improvements on participating farms.
$915,000

Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
Establishing Builders Institute to Expand Capacity for Clean Water (multiple states)
Increase regional capacity to implement watershed restoration and conservation projects more efficiently and effectively by establishing a Chesapeake Capacity Builders Institute. Project will engage 130 watershed stewardship leaders in piloting efforts to build and enhance collective watershed project management.
$399,093

Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
Jump-starting Organic Valley’s Dairy Sustainability Strategy (MD, NY, PA, VA)
Partner with Organic Valley to provide cost-effective agricultural conservation practices to manage agricultural runoff, improve water quality and wildlife habitat, and address climate change on organic dairy farms in the Bay watershed. Project will restore 5 miles of riparian habitat and engage an additional 200 volunteers in implementing on-farm conservation practices.
$500,000

Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
Increasing Nitrogen Reductions with Riparian Buffers and Best Management Practices (PA)
Install best management practices to achieve agricultural nitrogen load reduction on farms in three counties of Pennsylvania. Project will implement riparian forest and grass buffers, livestock exclusion fencing, and barnyard practices to reduce nitrogen runoff by over 37,900 pounds per year.
$1,000,000

Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
Accelerating Pollutant Reductions (MD, PA)
Pilot a project in three Maryland Phase I MS4 jurisdictions and four Pennsylvania jurisdictions. Project will implement at least 115 acres of riparian forest buffer and upland reforestation projects, and agricultural BMPs with at least 12 dairy farmers, including field soil health practices, barnyard stabilization, heavy use areas, grassed waterways, manure storage facilities, and other practices.
$1,000,000

Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
Riparian Rangers Volunteer Program (PA, MD)
Expand the successful Riparian Rangers program by training 100 new volunteers on riparian forest buffer establishment maintenance while providing additional educational opportunities and resources. Project will result in three new regional Branches of the Riparian Rangers program within priority watersheds in Maryland and Pennsylvania which will enable enhanced stewardship of around 250 acres of riparian forest buffer plantings.
$75,000

American Bird Conservancy
Implementing Forest Practices that Create Habitat Structure for Wildlife (PA)
Improve forest management within the Pennsylvania Wilds region where forest health is limited by a lack of age class diversity and structural complexity. Project will employ a variety of management practices to create or enhance more than 75 acres of young forest habitat, 440 acres of mature forest habitat, and at least 180 acres of late successional habitat to support the entire reproductive cycle of golden-winged warbler, cerulean warbler, and wood thrush.
$200,000

American Bird Conservancy
Restoring Dynamic Forest Structure for Priority Birds in the Delaware River Watershed - VI (PA)
Create Dynamic Forest Restoration Block (DFRB) comprehensive plans for two new DFRBs and implement forest management activities in eight existing DFRBs and four new DFRBs in Pennsylvania. Project will build upon the management implemented in order to develop and implement a comprehensive forest management strategy targeting long-term availability of diverse forest age classes and structural complexity benefiting the reproductive cycles of golden-winged warbler, cerulean warbler, and wood thrush.
$1,425,759

American Rivers
Restoring Fish Passage and Reducing Flood Risk in Cussewago Creek (PA)
Remove the obsolete lowhead Cussewago Dam on Cussewago Creek in Meadville, Pennsylvania which serves as a barrier for aquatic organism passage and also is a safety hazard. Project will open 46 miles of stream, reduce flood risk, restore fish passage and stream health to positively impact freshwater mussel species and their host species, conduct species monitoring, and restore the riparian buffer.
$50,000

Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania
Community Riparian Conservation (PA)
Restore 7.5 acres of riparian habitat, including 1,500 feet of stream and a pond, to improve water quality and habitat for several dragonflies, damselflies, and avian Species of Greatest Conservation Need. Project will engage 6 partners in restoration and education, including planting of 600 trees and shrubs, removing 7.5 acres of invasive vegetation, involve 175 volunteers, and directly educate 1,926 people through complimentary formal and informal education.
$40,000

Association of State Floodplain Managers
Strengthening Coastal Communities Resilience in the Great Lakes Region (multiple states)
Engage coastal shoreline communities in the Great Lakes region in a formal scenario-based process to identify local flood vulnerabilities and to convene complementary regional capacity building workshops to help participating communities prioritize strategies and projects that address identified vulnerabilities. Project will give coastal communities a better understanding of local coastal resilience issues and how to incorporate nature-based solution into plans, and build regional collaboration.
$260,851

Berks County Conservation District
Implementation of Nitrogen Reduction Best Management Practices (PA)
Provide financial support to agricultural producers for cropland conservation practices such as single and multi-species cover crops, manure injection, split rate nitrogen applications, and nutrient management planning in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Project will implement agricultural conservation practices to reduce nitrogen pollution in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
$868,135

Berks County Conservation District
Cold Run Habitat Restoration and Agricultural Best Management Practices (PA)
Implement stream and riparian habitat restoration on a 70-acre farm within in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Project will work with landowners to install instream habitat structures and transition 10 acres of marginal pasture along 1,800 feet of floodplain into riparian forest buffer, meadow with pollinator habitat, and enhanced wetland habitat.
$146,245

Berks Nature
Implementing Whole Farm Agricultural Best Management Practices (PA)
Install whole farm best management practices on farms located in priority focus areas within the Middle Schuylkill Cluster geography of the Delaware River Watershed Initiative. Project will play a role in a larger watershed approach, addressing a critical mass of agricultural restoration initiatives.
$270,000

Brandywine Red Clay Alliance
East Branch Red Clay Stream Restoration (PA)
Address steeply eroding stream banks and lack of riparian buffer along 5,470 linear feet of stream including instream restoration on a severely degraded, impaired reach of stream and riparian buffer plantings. Project will measurably improve water quality by lowering nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment inputs to the stream channel and increasing filtration of fertilizers, chemicals, sediment, and pesticides through the riparian buffer resulting in a greater diversity of aquatic life.
$239,798

Capital Resource Conservation and Development Area Council
Catalyzing Action for Clean Water in Pennsylvania’s Capital Region
Implement cost-effective conservation practices and improve reporting of existing practices across Pennsylvania’s capital region through the use of innovative technology and increased staff capacity. Project will utilize trusted conservation partners to improve understanding of the region’s current conservation efforts while driving additional water quality improvements consistent with locally led clean water plans.
$499,730

Center for Watershed Protection
Scaling Up Biochar Applications for Runoff Reduction in Chesapeake Bay (multiple states)
Accelerate the rate and scale at which biochar amendments are applied in the urban landscape to support runoff reduction and improved water quality across the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Project will secure new partners for widespread use of biochar amendments and provide technical assistance on sourcing and using certified biochar in a variety of urban applications.
$699,509

Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Expanding Rotational Grazing through the Mountains to Bay Grazing Alliance (MD, PA, VA, WV)
Expand the adoption of rotational grazing practices among dairy and livestock operations in the Shenandoah Valley, western and central Maryland, and southcentral Pennsylvania. Project will utilize conservation and farm networks to improve grazing management on 1,200 acres.
$493,780

Darby Township
Conway Park Streambank Restoration for Environmental and Community Resilience (PA)
Restore floodplain connection in Hermesprota Creek and create 1.3 acres of native forested habitat upstream of the Heinz National Wildlife Refuge. Project will reduce downstream flooding by allowing flood waters to more easily reach the floodplain while creating habitat and connectivity for wildlife in nearby Heinz Refuge.
$199,000

Delaware River Basin Commission
Water Resource Management Studies across the Delaware River Basin (DE, NJ, NY, PA)
Increase and enhance water security for fish, wildlife, and humans in the Delaware River Basin by advancing research in water resource management through the completion of studies comprising four critical components of water security to understand disparities in water security in overburdened communities and water resiliency. Project will generate findings that will be used for future water security planning efforts.
$866,938

Delaware River City Corporation
Stewarding Delaware River Watershed through Job Skill Training Partnerships (PA)
Build capacity for a job skill training partnership in environmental stewardship for the Delaware River Watershed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Project will include start-up costs for non-profit partners to share resources, train youth in “green jobs”, and model local non-profit/municipal partnerships to address maintenance needs for expanded restoration of parks and trails.
$253,524

East Cocalico Township Authority
Protecting Drinking Water in East Cocalico Township through Farm Collaboration (PA)
Improve local drinking water quality in East Cocalico Township by partnering with farmers to implement agricultural conservation practices that reduce nitrogen pollution to local groundwater supplies. Project will implement 900 acres of conservation practices, including cover crops, no-till, and adaptive nutrient management.
$282,656

Ephrata Borough
Restoring Gross Run Stream (PA)
Restore approximately 4,500 linear feet along Gross Run and tributaries within the Indian and Cocalico Creek watersheds. Project will create 5 acres of riparian habitat and nearly 1 acre of floodplain wetlands.
$500,000

Fairmount Park Conservancy
Designing Riparian Restoration and Floodplain Improvement of Franklin D. Roosevelt Park (PA)
Complete the final design and permitting for the Franklin D. Roosevelt Park Riparian Restoration and Floodplain Improvement Project. Project will result in the design and permitting required to expand and restore 4,700 linear feet of Shedbrook Creek and dredge Edgewood and Meadow Lakes.
$250,000

Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds
Monitoring Wild Trout Populations in the Unassessed Waters of the Delaware River (PA)
Assess and monitor wild trout populations in the Pennsylvania drainage of the Delaware River Basin. Project will develop a proven and transferable private-public partnership between the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds and Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.
$119,840

Groundwork Hudson Valley
Exemplary Trees for Critical Habitats: Hudson Valley Restoration (NJ, NY, PA)
Conduct habitat restoration work across three areas involving riparian, swamp and upland environments in the Hudson Valley. Project will engage 30-50 youth and over 75 local volunteers in reforestation activities to restore 3 acres, improve management on 15 acres of habitat and plant 500 trees.
$49,938

Harveys Lake Borough
Improvement Stormwater Management (PA)
Increase efficiency of existing stormwater management facilities by utilizing new filter techniques to improve nitrogen and phosphorus removal. Project will incorporate stormwater monitoring to better understand nutrient removal capacity from practice enhancements.
$89,200

Indiana University of Pennsylvania Research Institute
Implementing Dynamic Forest Restoration (PA)
Design and implement dynamic forest block restoration to support eastern forest bird species in three state parks and one state game land in Pennsylvania. Project will result in implementation of comprehensive forest management that provides a long-term strategy for balancing forest age classes and increasing structural complexity across more than 76,260 acres.
$199,141

Indiana University of Pennsylvania Research Institute
Implementing Forest Management Practices to Promote Resiliency and Habitat (PA)
Design and implement crop tree management and variable density thinning practices in young forest stands to improve the resiliency of oak forests and enhance habitat structure for species of greatest conservation need. Project will result in 800 acres of forest stewardship activities, development of management practice guidelines, and outreach and training targeting agency and consulting foresters.
$341,221

Intergovernmental Stormwater Committee
Restoring Urban Streams to Connect Blair County Communities and Improve Water Quality (PA)
Restore 1,800 linear feet stream along Brush Run while restoring 1 acre of riparian forest buffers and floodplain habitat.
$500,000

Lancaster Conservancy
Wizard Ranch Floodplain Restoration and Habitat Enhancement (PA)
Create a reach-wide stream restoration plan at Wizard Ranch Nature Preserve. Project will address the overall health of the stream corridor and include recommendations for areas of streambank stabilization, streambed elevation, grade-control structures, invasive species management and installing native plants.
$75,000

Lancaster County Conservation District
Using Data to Advance the Lancaster Countywide Action Plan (PA)
Advance the Lancaster Countywide Action Plan (CAP) by employing a Data Manager and a Verification Coordinator to collaboratively manage data from municipalities, District staff, partnering organizations, and technical service providers. Project will spur momentum for verification of practices and data management to more accurately track progress in Lancaster County, a priority area for meeting Chesapeake Bay nutrient reduction goals.
$454,913

Lancaster Farmland Trust
Implementing Best Management Practices in the Lower Conestoga River Watershed (PA)
Implement barnyard, manure-handling, and stream best management practices on a farm in the Lower Conestoga River Watershed. Project will significantly reduce nitrogen, phosphorous, and sediment pollution flowing into Stauffer Run, an impaired stream and a priority catchment area for Lancaster County’s Countywide Action Plan.
$500,000

Lancaster Farmland Trust
Collaborative Water Quality Improvement (PA)
Implement agricultural best management practices including cattle walkways, stabilized access roads, and a roofed manure stacking structure on a farm in East Earl, Pennsylvania. Project will reduce nitrogen, phosphorous, and sediment pollution flowing to the Chesapeake Bay.
$241,754

Lancaster Farmland Trust
Implementing Agricultural Conservation Practices on Conserved Farms (PA)
Advance water quality improvements in Strasburg Township and the Pequa Creek watershed by coupling farmland protection and landowner outreach. Project will result in 30 new conservation plans for farms in the area and full-scale implementation on two permanently preserved farms.
$478,955

Lebanon County Conservation District
Advancing Conservation Practice Implementation Through Planning (PA)
Assist with the significant amount of requests for conservation plans within the Little Swatara and Swatara Creek watersheds in Lebanon County. Project result in development of more than 50 agricultural conservation plans that will allow the advancement of future implementation of pollutant reduction best management practices on farms in these watersheds.
$61,200

Little Conestoga Creek Foundation
Restoring the Little Conestoga Creek (PA)
Advance efforts to establish the Little Conestoga Blue-Green corridor through stream restoration, floodplain reconnection, and riparian buffer restoration. Project will restore 1 acre of floodplain and engage 30 volunteers in restoration activities.
$500,000

Londonderry Township
Restoring Conewago Creek (PA)
Restore and create more than 2,600 linear feet of stream habitat as part of a broader initiative to restore Conewago Creek. Project will restore and reconnect an additional five and a half acres of floodplain.
$500,000

Natural Lands Trust
Natural Lands Bear Creek Expansion (PA)
Acquire the 344-acre Bear Creek Preserve Expansion property in Luzerne County for incorporation into Natural Lands’ 3,565-acre Bear Creek Preserve. Project will close the last major gap in a conservation corridor comprised of the 3,565-acre Bear Creek Preserve, the 1,880-acre North Branch Bear Creek Camp easement, and the 21,137-acre Game Lands 91.
$751,832

National Wildlife Federation
Building and Advancing Capacity of Chesapeake Nonprofits to Accelerate Water Quality Improvements (multiple states)
Coordinate efforts to create a more inclusive and diverse Chesapeake Bay watershed restoration movement and support regional and watershed-wide convenings to improve collaboration and impact among nearly 300 nonprofits working towards Bay restoration.
$286,543

National Wildlife Federation
Delaware River Conservation Blueprint (PA)
Create a Conservation Blueprint to guide restoration and conservation in the Delaware River Watershed. Project will create a roadmap that includes the selection of a technical provider and development of a landscape-scale strategy that builds upon the existing conservation plans of partners throughout the Basin, and a coordination mechanism that reflects and balances the preferences and views of the partners.
$213,955

New Jersey Audubon Society
Building Capacity for Conservation through Mentored Small Grant Program (DE, NJ, NY PA)
Administer a small grants restoration program to provide peer mentoring opportunities to prospective grantees in the Delaware River Basin. Project will assist organizations and community groups in capacity building through on-the-ground restoration projects with an outcome of a cleaner, healthier, and more equitable and coordinated Delaware River watershed.
$439,952

Partnership for the Delaware Estuary
Building Capacity for Urban Waters Federal Partnership Cities (DE, NJ, PA)
Expand the capacity of local organizations and decision-makers in the four Delaware River Urban Waters Federal Partnership cities of Camden, Chester, Philadelphia, and Wilmington to plan and implement community-driven habitat and water quality projects. Project will engage community groups and local decision-makers in order to implement community-led projects, such as tree plantings, installing rain gardens and native pollinator gardens, and other habitat improvement projects.
$92,541

Partnership for the Delaware Estuary
Living Shoreline Design and Permitting along an Urban Delaware Riverfront (PA)
Advance conceptual designs of a shellfish-based living shoreline at the Constellation Generating Station along the Delaware River in Croydon, Pennsylvania. Project will develop formal engineering designs used to obtain federal and state permits for installation and ultimately promote habitat enhancement, water quality improvement, and increased coastal resilience in the region.
$96,824

Partnership for the Delaware Estuary
Pickering Valley Green Stormwater Infrastructure in the Schuylkill Highlands (PA)
Implement nature-based infrastructure practices at the site of the Pickering Valley Farm and Feed store in Lionville, Pennsylvania. Project will initiate a nature-based infrastructure master plan that has been developed for the site, ultimately reducing flooding, erosion, and water pollution.
$168,276

Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
Removal of Fish Passage Barriers at the Spring Garden Dam (PA)
Remove fish passage barriers at the Spring Garden Dam in Neshaminy Creek in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Project will remove a barrier to migratory fish and restore this reach of Neshaminy Creek to free-flowing conditions, eliminate a public safety hazard, and enhance water-related recreational opportunities in an increasingly urban locale.
$750,000

Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers
Enhanced Capacity for Delivering Technical Assistance for Watershed Stewardship (PA)
Establish a formal regional-scale partnership between the Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers and Penn State Extension’s Master Watershed Steward program to improve delivery of technical assistance and enhanced local capacity for watershed and habitat restoration efforts. Project will employ virtual and in-person convenings, field site visits, and other approaches to deliver targeted outreach strategies and specific restoration education, training, and technical assistance.
$39,921

Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation
Restoring Dune Habitat for Shorebirds at Presque Isle State Park (PA)
Restore 3 acres of dune habitat and decrease erosion and flooding to benefit shorebirds such as piping plover. Project will propagate and plant of over 30 species of native plants and improve dune sand for a more stable shoreline habitat and add protection infrastructure and wetland at Presque Isle State Park.
$512,959

Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation
Stream Restoration at Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center (PA)
Restore full stream width along the Bushkill Creek in Pennsylvania by rebuilding the stream bank and armoring public access points. Project will use seeded soil lifts, root wads with vegetated rock protection, and imbricated stone to rebuild the stream bank, provide an additional access point to the stream while refurbishing the two that already exist, and re-establish a vegetated riparian buffer.
$626,301

Pennsylvania Resources Council
Building Capacity for More Equitable Nature-based Infrastructure in Delaware and Montgomery Counties (PA)
Strengthen the partnership of four organizations in Delaware and Montgomery counties Pennsylvania by combining several programs together under one umbrella program, Growing Greener Communities. Project will streamline stormwater work and increase the partners’ capacity to respond to increasing requests within their service areas while building technical tools and resources for other organizations and communities to replicate it.
$293,694

Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust
Fulmor Heights Green Riparian Restoration: Phase II (PA)
Implement the second phase of a stormwater management plan in Fulmor Heights, Pennsylvania. Project will improve water quality and the quality of life for residents through riparian restoration and streambank stabilization, transforming the space into a park-like recreation space.
$151,301

Pheasants Forever
Creating Enrollment Incentives to Establish Grass Buffers in Pennsylvania
Incentivize enrollment in existing grass buffer programs on farms in Pennsylvania. Project will reduce agricultural nutrient loading and create grassland wildlife habitat within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
$537,759

Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
Ecological and Wildlife Habitat Restoration in McKinley Park (PA)
Expand ongoing monitoring work on Pittsburgh’s McKinley Park nature-based infrastructure installation, expand this installation through the establishment of an adjacent native meadow. Project will incorporate youth development and environmental education activities through two local youth-serving organizations and assist in community-driven litter cleanups on more than 30 acres of surrounding park land.
$35,542

Potter County Conservation District
Restoring Aquatic Connectivity to Strengthen Brook Trout Habitat in Pennsylvania
Sustain and improve eastern brook trout populations in Card Creek and Little Portage Creek by removing three barriers to aquatic organism passage. Project will result in the opening of 10.75 miles of previously inaccessible stream and the improvement of flood resiliency at each site.
$199,943

Potter County Conservation District
Enhancing Resilience of the Cowanesque Watershed through Collaboration (PA)
Implement more than 11,000 acres of soil health practices across the headwaters of the Cowanesque River in Potter and Tioga Counties, including cover crops, no-till, prescribed grazing, and nutrient management. Project will enhance eastern brook trout populations in a high priority patch by restoring connectivity to upstream cold-water habitat through replacement of an existing stream culvert.
$500,000

Schuylkill Conservation District
Middle Creek Watershed Restoration Plan (PA)
Conduct an assessment of the Middle Creek watershed and develop a restoration plan that addresses sources of stormwater, flooding, sediment, and habitat fragmentation to build environmental and community resiliency. Project will rank pollution sources and watershed stressors and identify specific restoration solutions with highest impact and lowest cost and risk.
$50,000

Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education
Habitat Restoration, and Citizen Science (PA)
Design and construct a green stormwater infrastructure project, build an infiltration basin and stable bypass channel, and reinforce the adjacent riparian forest buffer on 2 acres of forested hillside, pond and streambanks. Project will create a coalition of eight partners to protect the water quality of a first-order stream and pond, plant 200 trees, engage 215 local volunteers in land stewardship events, and eliminate stormwater runoff threats.
$50,000

Snyder County Conservation District
Agricultural Plans and Cover Cropping Programs in the Middle Creek Watershed (PA)
Develop agricultural plans for farmers in the Middle Creek watershed of Snyder County and incentivize cover cropping through incentive payments. Project will reduce nutrient and sediment contributions reaching local streams and watersheds of the Chesapeake Bay watershed and increase the number of cover crop acres planted within the Middle Creek watershed.
$20,719

Schuylkill River Development Corporation
Designing the Schuylkill River Trail (PA)
Develop design plans to create a recreational trail and restore approximately 16 acres of riparian buffer along 1,500 feet of the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, a tributary of the Delaware River. Project will accelerate improvements to the shoreline, water quality, wildlife habitat, and access to recreational opportunities along the river consistent with local conservation efforts.
$90,000

Snyder County Conservation District
Agricultural Pollution Reduction (PA)
Reduce agricultural runoff in the West and North Branches of Mahantango Creek through farmer outreach, development of agricultural conservation plans, and implementation of conservation practices on beef and poultry operations. Project will result in development of 30 agricultural conservation plans to guide future farm management for improved water quality.
$414,000

Stroud Water Research Center
Agricultural Best Management Practices and Forested Buffers (PA)
Implement whole farm agricultural best management practices on three horse farms and plan for future restoration efforts in the Brandywine-Christina Cluster geography of the Delaware River Watershed Initiative. Project will address the major restoration needs in the West Branch Red Clay Creek watershed and support planning for major renovations to the dairy center and associated agricultural lands, resulting in the restoration of scores of acres of forested buffers and upland forests expected.
$299,999

Stroud Water Research Center
Comprehensive Nutrient Management Planning for Lancaster County Farms (PA)
Accelerate implementation of agricultural water quality improvements in Lancaster County through development and implementation of comprehensive nutrient management plans. Project will result in more than 1,100 acres under improved nutrient management and more than 4 miles of riparian forest buffers and livestock exclusion fencing implemented.
$499,723

Stroud Water Research Center
Meeting Lancaster County’s Clean Water Goals through Riparian Forest Buffers (PA)
Increase capacity and accelerate the rate of installing state-of-the-art riparian forest buffers towards locally led clean water plans for Lancaster and Chester Counties. Project will result in more than 40 acres and nearly 10 miles of riparian forest buffer implemented to intercept polluted runoff and protect sensitive stream ecosystems.
$499,278

Stroud Water Research Center
Promoting Soil Health and Riparian Buffers in Northwest Pennsylvania
Restore stream health by addressing excessive sedimentation in the French Creek and Shenango River waterways that threatens freshwater species. Project will create a no-till drill rental program and provide funding to establish forested streamside buffers for sediment control and overall stream health functions.
$191,158

Sustainable Chesapeake
Improving Manure and Nutrient Management in Pennsylvania’s Most-Effective Basins
Reduce nitrogen loss in Pennsylvania’s Most-Effective Basins through improved manure and fertilizer management practices that benefit both farm profit and water quality. Project will work with agribusiness partners to expand adoption of liquid manure injection and precision nitrogen management on farms in Pennsylvania’s Most-Effective Basins with a priority for farms located in countywide action plan priority watersheds, reducing nitrogen loading by 40,908 lbs per year.
$999,919

Sustainable Chesapeake
Improving Nutrient Management Programs through Collaboration (multiple states)
Improve nutrient management program delivery by facilitating collaboration among nutrient management leaders throughout the Chesapeake Bay region. Project will improve collaboration among land grant universities in the region, working across state lines with those leading the development of agricultural nutrient management recommendations across the watershed.
$65,910

Sustainable Chesapeake
Reducing Nutrient Loss from Manure in Lancaster through Expanded Adoption of Manure Injection (PA)
Work with partners to expand the adoption of low-disturbance manure injection on a range of farms. Project will improve water quality by reducing nitrogen and phosphorus loss from land-applied manure in most-effective basins in Lancaster County.
$249,174

TeamAg
Implementing Comprehensive Agricultural Conservation Practices in Lancaster County (PA)
Implement comprehensive agricultural conservation practices needed to achieve stream delisting and Chesapeake Bay restoration on agricultural lands in priority watersheds across Lancaster County. Project will align limited resources towards delisting streams on an accelerated time frame in catchments with the highest potential for delisting, reducing nitrogen loading by over 38,800 pounds per year.
$1,000,000

The Nature Conservancy
Increasing Capacity for Improving Aquatic Passageways to Accelerate Habitat Improvement in Delaware River (DE, NJ, NY, PA)
Add capacity and expertise for aquatic passage restoration in the Delaware River Basin by leveraging an existing collaboration and offering new training opportunities throughout the basin. Project will support efficient habitat restoration, increase recreation, and reduce risk by increasing capacity and expertise among conservation practitioners, fish and wildlife agencies, local governments, and dam safety programs.
$106,965

The Nature Conservancy
Developing Agricultural Conservation Partnerships to Improve Water Quality and Stream Health (PA)
Accelerate wetland and stream restoration across agricultural lands in the upper Cocalico Creek watershed of Pennsylvania through the development of a regional-scale partnership that builds capacity for planning and implementation. Project will create a pipeline of landowners interested in restoring wetlands and streams and a strengthening of partnerships across the watershed that will identify, secure, and implement future projects.
$75,000

The Trust for Public Land
Kennedy Elementary Green Schoolyard Design (PA)
Design a schoolyard at Kennedy Elementary School in Scranton that meets community needs for a healthy, equitable, and climate resilient community park. Project will provide new opportunities to explore stormwater management in Scranton schoolyards, engage dozens of students and residents in a process of hands-on education about their schoolyard and its place in the watershed, and incorporate a low-income community of color in planning and design of public community green spaces.
$75,000

Tioga County Soil and Water Conservation District of New York
Embracing and Promoting Afforestation in the Riparian Corridor and Beyond (PA, NY)
Accelerate tree planting in riparian and upland areas of the Upper Susquehanna watershed through proven programs and existing soil and water conservation district partners, while expanding community partnerships for tree planting and stewardship. Project will result in 30,000 new trees planted across more than 100 acres.
$500,000

Tioga County Soil and Water Conservation District of New York
Fueling Natural Filter Restoration in the Upper Susquehanna Watershed (NY, PA)
Provide flexible funding and technical assistance opportunities for natural filter restoration and protection in the Upper Susquehanna Watershed of New York and Pennsylvania. Project will identify and implement high priority projects that provide ecosystem benefits such as improving habitat and addressing water quality and quantity.
$1,000,000

Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership
Introducing Stormwater Management (PA)
Install green stormwater infrastructure at the Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel parking lot in Cheltenham Township, Pennsylvania. Project will retrofit the parking lot to reduce impervious cover and install two bioretention features to slow the movement of water on the property and reduce nonpoint source pollutants.
$84,310

Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership
Shoemaker Run Stream Restoration at Abington Club Golf Course (PA)
Install green stormwater infrastructure to reduce impacts from high velocity stormwater runoff at the Abington Club golf course in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania. Project will mitigate impacts from upstream development and accelerated erosion through instream restoration, stabilization of stream buffers, and engagement of local volunteers through tree plantings.
$244,838

Trout Unlimited
Accelerating Water Quality Improvements and Supporting Conservation Collaboratives (MD, PA, VA, WV)
Support restoration efforts and the assessment and further development of conservation collaboratives, programs, and services within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed region. Project will result in improved water quality in focal watersheds, increased capacity to deliver watershed scale conservation services in the region, engagement of future environmental stewards, and the long-term monitoring and maintenance of conservation projects.
$979,739

Trout Unlimited
Eastern Brook Trout Strongholds (PA)
Enhance and increase Eastern brook trout populations in habitat strongholds in Pennsylvania’s Pine and Kettle Creeks. Project will develop a long-term plan for aquatic connectivity and cold-water habitat enhancements and restore more than a mile of riparian forest habitat.
$254,001

Trout Unlimited
Restoring Riparian Buffers in the Upper Casselman River (MD, PA)
Restore riparian buffers, implement conservation practices on agricultural lands, and reforest abandoned mine lands in the Upper Casselman River. Project will bolster brook trout, hellbender, and mussel populations in the watershed; reduce the impacts of sedimentation; and establish early successional habitat for golden-winged warbler.
$189,711

Union County Conservation District
Helping Farmers Accomplish Conservation Goals in the West Branch Susquehanna River Watershed (PA)
Implement agricultural conservation practices on four farms in the Turtle Creek watershed within the broader West Branch of the Susquehanna River. Project will complete whole farm conservation plans by strategically leveraging federal conservation program funding to fulfill farm-level funding needs.
$500,000

University of Maryland
Building Organizational Capacity for Clean Water in Franklin County, Pennsylvania
Establish a new countywide water quality organization that will build local capacity to advance the implementation of water quality improvements identified as priorities in Franklin County’s clean water plans. Project will address critical gaps in restoration capacity within existing agencies and environmental and conservation organizations in the county.
$62,000

University of Pittsburgh
Automated Acoustic Monitoring of Focal Bird Species in Dynamic Forest Restoration Blocks (PA)
Survey avian communities in three dynamic forest restoration blocks in the Pennsylvania Wilds and Laurel Highlands. Project will continue and expand the use of automated acoustic recorders to monitor populations of golden-winged warbler, wood thrush, cerulean warbler, and four additional avian focal species.
$183,568

University of Pittsburgh
Acoustic Monitoring of Focal Bird Species in Dynamic Forest Restoration Blocks - II (PA)
Use automated acoustic recorders to monitor populations of Golden-Winged Warbler, Wood Thrush, Cerulean Warbler, and other species in dynamic forest restoration blocks in the watershed. Project will estimate species occupancy and abundance at each site using statistical models and holding technical training workshops to support future analysis of bioacoustic recordings.
$173,241

Urban Riparian Restoration
Stewardship, Awareness and Training (NJ)
Restore natural habitats through the enhancement of six wetlands, removal of 4 acres of invasive plant species, and installation of 32 feet of Bio-logs in Sussex, New Jersey. Project will increase engagement with volunteers and public and private sector partners.
$38,663

Watershed Alliance of York (WAY)
Coordinating Partnerships to Increase Watershed Forestry Best Management Practices in York County, PA
Bring together private and public partners to accelerate implementation, maintenance, and financial incentives of riparian forest buffers and lawn conversion projects in York County. Project will use partner-funded outreach, large contract plantings, investment in partners’ professional development, and a marketing campaign to accelerate the pace of riparian forest buffer and lawn conversion implementation.
$1,000,000

WeConservePA
Implementing Conservation Easements and Resource Management Planning in Pennsylvania
Support local Pennsylvania land trusts in implementing conservation easements and developing resource management plans to inform long-term restoration and stewardship of conserved habitat. Project will permanently protect 980 acres across more than a dozen individual land conservation projects.
$150,000

West Cocalico Township Authority
Protecting Drinking Water in West Cocalico Township through Farm Collaboration (PA)
Improve local drinking water quality in West Cocalico Township by partnering with farmers to implement agricultural conservation practices that reduce nitrogen pollution to local groundwater supplies. Project will implement 630 acres of conservation practices, including cover crops, no-till, and adaptive nutrient management.
$212,960

Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
Developing a Conservation Framework and Action Plan for Freshwater Mussel Conservation (PA)
Develop a framework for the conservation of freshwater mussels across Pennsylvania. Project will complete planning activities and collect field data to determine which restoration actions are important for the long-term conservation of freshwater mussels in the state.
$194,250

Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
Improving Aquatic Organism Passage on State Gamelands in Central Pennsylvania
Complete aquatic organism passage projects on state game lands to benefit brook trout and other important and at-risk aquatic species. Project will result in 20 additional miles of accessible stream habitat through assessment and design, implementation, and monitoring of culvert replacement projects.
$499,967

Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
Protecting Critical Habitat and Water Quality in Pennsylvania’s Western Tributaries
Permanently protect forestland, wetland, and high-quality riparian corridors that serve as critical habitat for species of greatest conservation need. Project will work with private foundations, state agencies, and landowners to conserve 1,000 acres across central Pennsylvania.
$492,699

Wildlands Conservancy
Bushkill Stream and Fish Passage Restoration Project (PA)
Complete fish passage and stream restoration through the removal of the first three fish passage barriers in the Bushkill Creek in Easton, Pennsylvania. Project will include fish passage barrier removal, installation of instream habitat structures, stream bank stabilization, riparian buffer plantings, continued stream monitoring, and community outreach.
$1,000,001

York County Rail Trail Authority
Floodplain Restoration on Oil Creek (PA)
Restore more than a mile of Oil Creek to improve water quality and protect a planned trail corridor to improve local public access. Project will restore up to 8 acres of wetlands.
$500,000