Veronica PiscitelliThe Department of the Interior (DOI) announced last week $102.9 million in funding for wetland conservation projects throughout the nation.
The funding comes from the North American Wetlands Conservation Act and was approved by the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission to help conserve or restore 548,242 acres of critical wetland habitat.
The announcement provides the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and its partners the ability to conserve, restore and enhance the more than half a million acres of critical wetland and associated upland habitat for migratory birds across North America. The partners will also give more than $201.2 million in matching funds to aid in the efforts.
The Migratory Bird Conservation Commission is chaired by the Secretary of the Interior. Its work conserves much of the nation’s important habitats while also enhancing many popular waterfowl hunting and birding destinations. The commission uses the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) as one of the most effective tools for migratory bird conservation.
Under the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the NAWCA funds projects to protect, restore, and enhance wetlands to provide habitat for migratory birds and many other wildlife species across the continent. The projects which are awarded money also improve water quality, provide recreation opportunities, reduce flooding risks and minimize coastal erosion. The NAWCA is the only federal grant program dedicated to the conservation of wetland habitats for migratory birds.
Since 1991, the NAWCA has provided a total of $7.1 billion in funding and awards. Of this, $2.28 billion has come from grants, with the remaining $4.53 billion being provided by partner matching contributions. The funds have helped to better 32.9 million acres of habitat in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. In total, the NAWCA has funded 3,400 projects, working with 7,100 partners. These partners include private landowners, state, tribal and local governments, conservation organizations, sportsmen’s groups, land trusts and corporations.
Funding for the act comes from federal funds that are leveraged at twice the legally required dollar-for-dollar non-federal match-to-grant ratio. The North American Wetlands Conservation Council reviews proposals in two cycles per year to distribute the money accordingly. Previous grant funding totals and matching contributions can be found here.
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