Wetland Conservation Projects Awarded More Than $100 Million

November 19, 2019

Many wetland conservation projects are getting some serious funding. In September, U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt announced more than $100 million in funding for various initiatives.

The North American Wetlands Conservation Act grants include $28 million for the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission and $23.9 million for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Federal grants will be matched by more than $72 million in partner funds.

2019 NAWCA Grant Projects

Here’s a look at some of the projects NAWCA grants will support in 2019.

  • Missouri River Valley Wetlands: The initiative will receive $1 million to procure, rebuild, and improve 4,618 acres of major wetlands and grassland complexes in the Missouri River Alluvial Plan in Western Iowa and Northwest Missouri. Northern pintail, lesser scaup, and many other species will benefit from this project.
  • Upper Snake River: Designed to protect and enhance 1,691 acres of migrating, breeding, and wintering habitat in Eastern Idaho, this project has been granted $1 million in funding. The trumpeter swan, northern pintail, and other species will reap the rewards of this initiative.
  • Texas Bays, Wetlands, and Prairies II: Intended to enhance 2,885 acres of wetland types and other critical wetland habitats in mid-coast Texas, this project will receive $1 million in funding. Mottled ducks, black-bellied whistling ducks, fulvous whistling ducks, and other species will enjoy the rewards of this venture.

The North American Wetlands Conservation Act

Established in 1989, the NAWCA program gives matching grants to wetlands conservation projects in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Both a Standard and Small Grants program are offered, and each are competitive initiatives that require a minimum of a 1-to-1 partner match.

Grant funds are used to boost bird populations and wetland habitat, while enhancing local economies and American traditions, including hunting, fishing, bird watching, family farming, and cattle ranching. NAWCA-protected wetlands offer important benefits, including flood control, reducing coastal erosion, improving water and air quality, and recharging ground water.

Over the past two decades, NAWCA has funded more than 2,950 projects totaling more than $1.73 billion in grants. More than 6,200 partners have donated an additional $3.57 billion in matching funds, benefitting more than 30 million acres of habitat.

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