NFWF, NRCS announce $4.1 million grant for wetland, waterfowl work in Louisiana

Grant is one of 29 announced as part of the Gulf Coast Conservation Grants Program

Washington, D.C., August 27, 2015 – The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) today announced a $4.15 million award to Ducks Unlimited to restore, enhance and protect more than 8,600 acres of agriculture wetlands and coastal marsh in southwest Louisiana.

The award will be matched by more than $650,000 from Ducks Unlimited for a total conservation impact of $4.8 million. The project will enable a diverse team to work with local NRCS offices, rice farmers and other coastal landowners to fill critical gaps in Gulf Coast conservation and catalyze conservation solutions through innovation and technology. Their work will benefit migratory waterfowl, shorebirds and other wildlife in Louisiana’s Chenier Plain.

The award is one of 29 announced today in the initial round of grants from the Gulf Coast Conservation Grants Program (GCCGP). This new competitive grants program supports priority conservation needs of the Gulf of Mexico that are not otherwise expected to be funded under NFWF’s Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund or other funding opportunities associated with the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The GCCGP builds on existing and new partnerships and is supported with funding from the Shell Marine Habitat Program, the Southern Company Power of Flight program, the SeaWorld Ocean Health Initiative, NRCS and other sources.

“The grants we announce today will result in meaningful conservation outcomes for the Gulf of Mexico,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO at NFWF. “This new program will complement important work being accomplished throughout the Gulf Coast, present new opportunities to further leverage conservation dollars, and benefit the wildlife and human communities that rely on the Gulf’s critical ecosystems.”

“Conservation on private lands plays a critical role in the Gulf’s recovery, and we’re proud to help America’s farmers, ranchers and forest managers restore habitat, improve water quality, protect wetlands, and make their operations stronger and more resilient,” NRCS Chief Jason Weller said. “These grants show that when we work together, sharing expertise and leveraging resources, the Gulf’s ecosystems and economies can rebound and flourish.”

The GCCGP focuses on strategic conservation projects within coastal areas in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. The program seeks to advance innovative restoration concepts and approaches, build capacity through strategic engagement of youth and veterans, and fund species and habitat projects benefitting Gulf coastal ecosystems and communities.

For a complete list of the grants announced today, please click here.

About the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) protects and restores our nation’s wildlife and habitats. Chartered by Congress in 1984, NFWF directs public conservation dollars to the most pressing environmental needs and matches those investments with private contributions. NFWF works with government, nonprofit and corporate partners to find solutions for the most complex conservation challenges. Over the last three decades, NFWF has funded more than 4,000 organizations and committed more than $2.9 billion to conservation projects. Learn more at www.nfwf.org.

About USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service

NRCS provides America’s farmers and ranchers with technical and financial assistance to voluntarily put conservation on the ground, not only helping the environment but agricultural operations, too. To learn about NRCS’ Gulf restoration efforts, visit http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Gulf. For more on technical and financial assistance available through conservation programs, visit http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/GetStarted or a local USDA service center.