PA Environment Digest Blog: U.S. Fish And Wildlife Service, National Fish & Wildlife Foundation Announce Over $17 Million In Grants For Delaware River Basin Restoration

On August 29, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced more than $17 million in funding through the Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund, in partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, for 45 conservation projects in the Delaware River watershed.

The grants will generate nearly $20.7 million in matching contributions from the grantees, providing a total conservation impact of $38 million.

“President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is helping improve the lives of people and habitats for wildlife,” said Service Director Martha Williams. “Across Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York, these investments convert blacktop into rain gardens, reconnect rivers and streams and use nature-based approaches to address community needs, including responding to the impacts of climate change.”

Projects Benefiting Pennsylvania

-- Borough of East Stroudsburg - Aquatic Organism Passage Planning and Design in Sambo Creek (PA) - $75,000: Complete designs and permitting required for fish passage

improvements along the Lower Dam in the Sambo Creek, Pennsylvania. Project will set the stage for improved water quality and increased aquatic habitat connectivity for brook trout and American eel.

-- Berks County Conservation District - Berks County Forest Landowner Support Pilot (PA) - $127,300: Assist small-acreage and underserved forest landowners with enrollment in existing forestry programs to improve forest health and resiliency in the Kittatinny and Schuylkill Highland conservation landscapes. Project will empower landowners to engage with conservation programs through workshops and training opportunities, ultimately enhancing the water quality, habitat for birds including golden-winged warbler and resiliency of the Berks County small-acreage forests.

-- PA Environmental Council - Building Capacity in Southeast Pennsylvania for Installation of Native Meadows - $130,800: Build capacity for the creation of native meadows to protect water quality and improve wildlife habitat for pollinators in southeast Pennsylvania. Project will train public and private facility and land managers on the installation and maintenance of pollinator meadows, create a portfolio of priority meadow conversion opportunities, prepare and implement a communication strategy for promoting meadow conversion projects and complete more than 20 acres of meadow conversion.

-- Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership - Building Capacity for a Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Action Plan (PA) - $97,600: Engage local municipalities and stakeholders to expedite and increase the scale of restoration projects in the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed. Project will result in a Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Action Plan for projects and programming, which will clearly define services to improve water quality in the watershed.

-- John Bartram Association - Educating Youth and Providing Community Watershed Access in Southwest Philadelphia (PA) - $260,000: Implement an educational youth development program to provide sustained water quality monitoring, offer educational recreation opportunities and drive community engagement with watershed health in the Tidal Schuylkill River. Project will hire up to 16 local high school students annually to serve as riverfront ambassadors for river recreation programs that welcome more than 2,500 residents annually, expanding recreational access to the river.

-- American Bird Conservancy - Enhancing and Evaluating Late Successional Forests for Priority Birds in the Poconos (PA) - $383,900: Expand conservation planning, implementation and monitoring within the American Bird Conservancy’s Poconos Birdscape in the Delaware River Watershed to address threats to forest health and the habitat needs of goldenwinged warbler, cerulean warbler and wood thrush. Project will draft one comprehensive plan for a new Dynamic Forest Restoration Block (DFRB), develop and implement a late-successional vegetation/habitat protocol and monitor baseline avian communities within three DFRBs.

-- American Bird Conservancy - Restoring Dynamic Forest Structure for Priority Birds in the Delaware River Watershed (PA) - $1,000,000: Address threats to forest health and the breeding season habitat needs of the golden-winged warbler, cerulean warbler, and wood thrush across eight Dynamic Forest Restoration Blocks and nearby private lands within the PoconosKittatinny region of Pennsylvania. Project will implement forest management practices across 3,511 acres to increase forest age class diversity and improve within-stand structural complexity.

-- The Nature Conservancy- Implementing Green Stormwater Infrastructure in Philadelphia Schoolyards (PA) - $1,069,400: Create high-performing greenspaces that improve water quality and aquatic habitat through the implementation of green stormwater infrastructure at four elementary schools in Philadelphia. Project will treat 4.3 acres with stormwater Best Management Practices, manage 4.7 million gallons of stormwater, plant 264 trees, engage more than 2,000 people, and provide students and teachers with invaluable access to a living classroom.

-- Upper Mount Bethel Township - Improving Habitat and Recreation Access in the Upper Mount Bethel Preserve (PA) - $600,000: Restore and enhance the Upper Mount Bethel Preserve to create a resilient ecosystem for wildlife and improve public access for recreationists. Project will result in several habitat and public access improvements on the preserve, including buffer plantings, the establishment of meadows, reforestation, aquatic habitat restoration and the creation of ADA-accessible trails.

-- Appalachian Mountain Club - Improving Trail Design and Expanding Public Access in

the Delaware River Basin (PA) - $258,000: Complete trail assessments and provide site-specific remediation strategies for trails in the Delaware River Watershed that are overused and subject to flooding and erosion. Project will include four trail assessments that assist park, trail, and land managers in ensuring that natural surface trails are sustainable and resilient, thus minimizing damage to nearby natural resources and expanding public access.

-- Cobbs Creek Environmental Education Center - Planning for Comprehensive Restoration and Monitoring of the Cobbs Creek Watershed (PA) - $296,900: Conduct water-quality monitoring, habitat assessments and stakeholder workshops to develop a comprehensive vision for watershed revitalization in Cobbs Creek Park, Philadelphia. Project will develop a holistic framework for watershed restoration in alignment with broader regional-planning efforts to address environmental challenges in the park and create a resilient watershed.

-- American Rivers - Planning and Design for Restoration and Recreation in Cobbs Creek Park (PA) - $183,800: Engage with local experts and youth leaders to develop a Philadelphia Action Plan for Cobbs Creek that will conceptualize multi-benefit river restoration projects and programming. Project will result in six to 10 implementation ready projects that will improve river and riparian greenspace access for residents of West Philadelphia neighborhoods.

-- Borough of Jim Thorpe - Restoring Brook Trout Habitat along Silk Mill Run (PA) - $165,000: Restore fish passage and riparian habitat in Silk Mill Run, a direct tributary to the Delaware River. Project will reconnect 1.5 miles of stream, restore 1.5 acres of floodplain and plant 40 trees to enhance habitat for brook trout and pollinators.

-- Fairmount Park Conservancy - Restoring Habitat and Increasing Equitable Access to Nature at FDR Park (PA) - $1,500,000: Expand habitat and wildlife diversity and create new public access areas at FDR Park in Philadelphia. Project will create 800 linear feet of new stream channel, establish 7 acres of pollinator habitat and more than 15 acres of reforested upland and lowland forest, and construct 2,200 linear feet of nature trail, 2,200 linear feet of excursion trail, two pedestrian bridges and educational signage for visitors.

-- Wildlands Conservancy - Stream Restoration in the Lehigh Valley (PA) - $163,500: Restore and enhance stream habitats through streambank stabilization, instream habitat structure installation and native riparian tree plantings at three locations in the Lehigh Valley. Project will establish 1.5 acres of native riparian habitat for wildlife, restore more than 2,000 feet of streambank and floodplain, reduce more than 30,000 pounds per year of sediment pollution, remove one barrier to fish passage and engage at least 25 community volunteers.

-- Brandywine Red Clay Alliance - Stream Restoration and Wetland Creation in Parrish Park (PA) - $281,700: Restore and enhance an impacted stream with grading, native plantings and in-stream structures to improve aquatic habitat and recreation opportunities along Red Clay Creek. Project will restore 2,650 feet of stream, create 1.2 acres of new wetlands, reconnect five acres of floodplain, plant 6.8 acres of new riparian buffer and engage the local community through educational activities and tree plantings.

-- Natural Lands Trust - Stroud Preserve Recreation Access and Floodplain Restoration (PA) - $830,400: Restore eroded streambanks and replace a degraded bridge and informal boat launch at the Stroud Preserve in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Project will maintain and improve access to the 571-acre preserve and improve water quality for the East Branch Brandywine Creek by adding native plants to the floodplain and reducing erosion and runoff at the current boat launch and bridge site.

Multi-State Projects

-- Stroud Water Research Center - Assessing the Impacts of Invasive Mud Snails on Trout

and Shad Populations (NJ, PA) - $397,500: Monitor and study the invasive New Zealand mud snail’s survival under different habitat conditions to characterize the mud snail’s disruption of trout diet and population growth in the Delaware River Basin. Project will determine mud snail survival and growth under different water temperatures and calcium concentrations at 15 sites in the basin, quantifying the risk level and potential consequences of the mud snails for native aquatic species and cold-water fisheries.

-- Wildlife Management Institute - Building Capacity for Coldwater Habitat Conservation in the Delaware River Watershed (NJ, NY, PA) - $499,100: Build capacity for cold-water habitat conservation and brook trout population recovery across New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Project will hire a landscape coordinator to facilitate project planning and a project manager to supervise on-the-ground conservation endeavors, ultimately streamlining implementation, enhancing stakeholder coordination, and bolstering habitat resilience and biodiversity in the watershed.

-- The Nature Conservancy - Building Capacity for Dam Removals in the Delaware River - II (DE, NJ, NY, PA) - $94,100: Provide dam removal expertise by offering on-demand coaching, municipal and county government outreach, informational webinars and in-person training to stakeholders in the Delaware River Basin. Project will strengthen and expand the network of dam removal practitioners and accelerate the pace of dam removals across the basin, ultimately improving wildlife habitats and water quality and enhancing recreational opportunities.

-- Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art - Developing a Climate Assessment for the Brandywine Christina Watershed (DE, PA) - $60,000: Develop a climate assessment framework to quantify the climate benefits of the water-quality work conducted in the Brandywine-Christina Cluster of the Delaware River Watershed Initiative. Project will establish a baseline of the climate impacts of the watershed and define average carbon storage and sequestration metrics for different land cover, agricultural Best Management Practices and green infrastructure projects within the watershed.

-- Partnership for the Delaware Estuary - Establishing a Freshwater Mussel Growing Network in the Delaware Estuary (DE, NJ, PA) - $150,000: Establish a freshwater mussel growing network to support the reintroduction, range expansion and population enhancement for native species of freshwater mussels in the Delaware Estuary. Project will create a network of mussel rearing sites with volunteer support for mussel grow-out at several locations in the estuary.

-- Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University - Evaluating Headwater Habitat Conditions to Inform Conservation in the Delaware Basin (NY, PA) - $360,000: Assess the impact of temperature fluctuations on macroinvertebrate genetic biodiversity and ecosystem function of headwater streams in the Delaware River. Project will develop a watershed geospatial model to predict headwater stream resilience in response to temperature changes, detect the presence or absence of at-risk species using eDNA analysis, and enhance collaboration with community partners and scientists to improve conservation practices.

-- National Audubon Society - Improving Priority Bird Habitat through Collaborative Forest Management (NY, PA) - $274,300: Connect endorsed foresters with private landowners to deliver bird-friendly forest management plans and implementation projects in the Delaware River Watershed. Project will create 800 acres of improved habitat for focal birds, including wood thrush, cerulean and golden-winged warblers, as well as an additional 5,000 shovel-ready acres with management plans completed and ready for implementation.

-- Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space - Monitoring Harmful Algal Blooms in the Delaware River Watershed (NJ, PA) - $488,400: Monitor harmful algal blooms using remote sensing, multispectral drones and on-the-water methods to inform habitat management decisions. Project will develop an algorithm for forecasting harmful algal bloom (HAB) development under diverse seasonal and hydrological conditions, allowing for control or prevention of the development of HABs and the subsequent preservation and restoration of habitats and aquatic resources within the Delaware River Watershed.

-- National Wildlife Federation - Sacred Grounds Program: Installing Pollinator Gardens

and Engaging Communities of Faith (DE, PA) - $671,700: Expand native pollinator habitat for priority species, including native bumblebees and monarch butterflies, through partnerships with faith-based organizations and historic cemeteries in New Castle County, Delaware, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Project will expand urban wildlife habitat, plant approximately 6,000 native plant plugs, and build community capacity to steward native wildlife habitat in urban areas.

Click Here for a full list of 2024 Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund grants.

Bipartisan Infrastructure Projects

Funding includes more than $4.7 million from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for six projects aimed at improving public access, recreational opportunities, and water quality, as well as enhancing shoreline resiliency and critical habitat.

The 2024 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funded grants are:

-- Multistate: $94,069 for building capacity for dam removals in the Delaware River watershed through trainings and workshops.

-- Pennsylvania: $1.5 million for restoring habitat and increasing equitable access to nature at Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park.

-- Pennsylvania: $830,400 for improving public safety, access and water quality at Stroud Preserve.

-- Pennsylvania: $1 million for implementing green stormwater infrastructure projects at four under-served elementary schools in Philadelphia.

-- $347,450 from the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service for projects such as collaborative forest management in New York and Pennsylvania. This project, co-funded between the Service and USDA-NRCS, is part of a new federal partnership to support conservation efforts on working lands.

-- Delaware: $500,000 for re-envisioning Rodney Reservoir Park with restored natural spaces to enhance water quality, wildlife habitat and recreation.

-- New York: $779,306 for reconnecting rivers in the upper Delaware River watershed to enhance brook trout habitat and mitigating flooding.

Since 2021, historic investments through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law have helped continue critical conservation work within the watershed.

Funded projects create jobs, advance environmental justice, boost local economies, improve water quality, and address needs for natural resources — all while helping tackle the climate crisis.

By investing in partner-driven conservation, the Service and its partners bolster local economies and communities and demonstrate the importance of caring for lands and waters to support lives and livelihoods.

The Delaware River watershed spans parts of Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York — a landscape that encompasses one of the most densely populated urban areas in the nation yet remains 50 percent forested.

Four hundred miles of the Delaware River are classified as National Wild and Scenic River, indicating their shorelines remain largely undeveloped but accessible in places by roads.

These projects supported by the Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund will benefit the millions of people who rely on the Delaware River and its tributaries by improving habitats, reducing flood risks, improving water quality, and increasing access to natural places.

This announcement is part of the Biden Administration’s Investing in America agenda, which provides an overall $2 billion to the Department of the Interior to restore public lands and waters and advance America the Beautiful, the Biden-Harris administration’s initiative to restore and conserve 30% of lands and waters by 2030.

To guide these historic investments, the Department recently released the restoration and resilience framework to support coordination across agency restoration and resiliency programs and drive transformational outcomes.

Visit the NFWF Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund webpage to learn more about this program.

Related Articles This Week - Watersheds:

-- National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, US Fish & Wildlife Announce $8.9 Million To Restore, Conserve Habitats In Chesapeake Bay Watershed [PaEN]

-- DEP Releases 2023 Annual Report On Chesapeake Bay Watershed Celebrating Accomplishments Of Counties, Communities, State And Local Leaders [PaEN]

-- Conservation Innovation Fund, Kennett Twp., Chester County Receive Ground-Breaking Stormwater Permit Relying On Nature-Based Solutions [PaEN]

-- USDA NRCS-PA: Cropland Farmers May Be Contacted During Conservation Effects Assessment Survey

-- Eastern PA Consulting & Industrial Forester Conference Set For Sept. 26 At Dauphin County Conservation District [PaEN]

-- Allegheny County Conservation District, Partners Host 5-Part Building Vibrant Communities Workshops Starting Sept. 24 [PaEN]

-- York County Master Watershed Stewards Host Sept. 26 Stormwater Management, Storm Drain Art Walking Tour; 2024 Art Winners Announced [PaEN]

-- PA Organization For Watersheds & Rivers Hosts Sept. 11 PA Fertilizer Law, Homeowner Lawn Care For Healthy Watersheds Webinar [PaEN]

-- EPA Names Khesha Reed As Deputy Director For Chesapeake Bay Program Office [PaEN]

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