Applicants sought for Central Appalachia Habitat Stewardship Program

WASHINGTON D.C. (June 5, 2017) — The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is seeking applications for funding under the new Central Appalachia Habitat Stewardship Program​, which is dedicated to restoring and sustaining healthy forests, rivers and streams for native bird and freshwater fish populations. 

Up to $1.3 million is available this year for grants in the Appalachian region of Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia. Major funding is provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and American Forest Foundation.

Grants will be awarded in two categories: habitat restoration grants, and focal geography grants. Proposals are due July 27 and the full Request for Proposals can be found here​.

The Central Appalachia Habitat Stewardship Program invests in on-the-ground restoration projects and applied science in order to:

  • Improve the management of public and private forestlands to enhance age and structural diversity of forests in the region. Restoration projects will support a diversity of bird species, including young forest-dependent species (i.e., American woodcock, golden-winged warbler and prairie warbler), and species associated with complex mature and late-successional forest (i.e., cerulean warbler, black-throated blue warbler and wood thrush).
  • Improve the quality of habitat in river and stream systems, especially for eastern brook trout, eastern hellbender, as well as threatened and endangered freshwater mussels and their host species. Restoration projects will restore fish passage, improve access to high-quality upstream habitat, and restore complex, in-stream habitat.
  • Restore the integrity and complexity of streamside forests, especially those providing habitat for Louisiana water thrush and eastern brook trout, which are essential to protecting the quality of freshwater systems. 

Competitive grants are reviewed by a committee of government and academic experts, and funding decisions are based on the ability of the applicant to implement strategies that achieve the program priorities and result in measurable conservation outcomes.

Additional information about the program can be found here.

Potential applicants can register for a workshop that will provide much more detail:

“The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is excited to launch and grow this new program,” said Amanda Bassow, director of NFWF’s Northeastern Regional Office. “The central Appalachian region includes a rich diversity of wildlife and habitats and this program will strategically invest in the most cost-effective conservation to ensure they are able to thrive.”

“The central Appalachian region is dominated by family woodland ownership, meaning landscape-scale conservation efforts must engage this important audience,” said Christine Cadigan, director of Northeastern Woodland Conservation at the American Forest Foundation (AFF). “Because of this, AFF is thrilled to be a new partner and help further engage family woodland owners in forest conservation projects that promote and enhance wildlife habitat.”

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About the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Chartered 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 and individual partners, NFWF has funded more than 4,500 organizations and committed more than $3.5 billion to conservation projects. Learn more at www.nfwf.org.​