National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

Beavers are the engineers of the animal kingdom. They not only create and maintain habitats for other species, the dams they construct also play an important role in the broader health of a watershed, especially in arid environments of the American Southwest. Because beavers work to slow the flow of water, they help to fight erosion, increase groundwater replenishment and nourish the wider riparian habitat. Working with Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), USDA Forest Service, the Walton Family Foundation, and the Trinchera Blanca Foundation, an affiliate of the Moore Charitable Foundation, NFWF’s Southwest Rivers Headwaters program is offering up to $1.3 million in grant funding to restore and recover species of conservation concern and their habitats in the headwaters of the Colorado River and Rio Grande watersheds. Learn more >> https://loom.ly/yHMYwx0 📷: North American beaver

Big news for the Chesapeake Bay 📢📢 The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) today announce a major investment in North America’s largest estuary with 30 new conservation grants totaling $8.9 million. These awards will support wildlife habitat, climate resilience and community conservation and promote equitable access to nature in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. 💪💚🤝 Read more >> https://loom.ly/1RasGJg 📷: Osprey as she lands on her nest located on a duck blind in the Chesapeake Bay near Poquoson, VA #wildlife #conservation #chesapeake #chesapeakebay #environment

Maybe you saw the good news: Last month, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science awarded the Chesapeake Bay a C+ on its annual report card, the highest grade the Bay has received since 2002. 👏 👏 It’s a great sign of recovery for the Chesapeake Bay, but there’s still more work to do. NFWF’s Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund is accepting proposals for projects that will work to improve water quality throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Learn more >> https://loom.ly/Cj5EY_M Major funding for the Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund comes from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Chesapeake Bay Program Office, with other important contributions by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA Forest Service and Altria. 📷: Great egret stands at the shoreline of the Chesapeake Bay #chesapeake #chesapeakebay #egret #wildlife #conservation

Did you know? 💡 The Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley is the nation’s largest floodplain, boasting rich biodiversity, productive agricultural lands, and many outdoor recreational opportunities. But land use changes and extreme weather have degraded habitats and wildlife populations. Conservation efforts are essential to protect this critical ecosystem. That’s why we’re excited to undertake this crucial work of restoring the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley with dedicated partners, including USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), International Paper’s Forestland Stewards Partnership and the Walton Family Foundation. Together, we’re looking forward to conserving vulnerable lands and preserving species across the landscape. 📷: Louisiana black bear cub #conservation #environment #grants #mississippi #wildlife #blackbear

Some conservation news to sing about 🐦🎵 NFWF announced nearly $2.5 million in grants to restore, enhance and protect ecologically important forest and wetland habitats in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley. Four new bottomland hardwood forest, wetland and aquatic habitat restoration grants will benefit populations of forest dwellers such as the Louisiana black bear, forest birds and waterfowl, among other important native species. These grants would not be possible without the generous support of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), International Paper’s Forestland Stewards Partnership and the Walton Family Foundation. https://loom.ly/De4sHcw 📷: Northern parula #conservation #environment #grants #mississippi #wildlife

#ICYMI, a podcast for your Friday lunch break featuring our very own Holly A. Bamford, Ph.D.! Listen to find out what trees can do for carbon sequestration, among other positive impacts to the climate 🙌 🌳 🙌

The Pecos River spans 900 miles from the pine forests of northern New Mexico through the deserts of southeastern New Mexico and West Texas. This river supports some of the world’s most biodiverse arid ecosystems, home to many unique fish and aquatic species. But these habitats are under threat from development, invasive species and water scarcity. Native grasslands, crucial for wildlife like pronghorn and migratory birds, have shrunk dramatically, affecting both wildlife and local ranches. Protecting these ecosystems is essential for maintaining biodiversity and supporting sustainable ranching practices. That’s why the Pecos Watershed Conservation Initiative is looking to restore and sustain healthy rivers, streams and grassland systems that provide important wildlife habitat in the Pecos watershed >> [link to program page] Thank you to our partners, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, Apache Corporation, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Oxy and ExxonMobil. 📷: Pecos watershed

Stretching from the rolling shortgrass prairies of the Great Plains, the crest of the Rocky Mountains, and into the canyons of the desert Southwest, Colorado hosts some of the most impressive landscapes and wildlife habitat in the country. At the same time, a rapidly growing human population and increasing demands on public and private lands have strained wildlife and their habitats in the region. The RESTORE Colorado program funds habitat restoration and stewardship projects on public and private conservation lands in Colorado that have the greatest benefit for wildlife and local communities. If you’re working to improve the varied landscapes of Colorado for wildlife and for people, learn how to apply for approximately $4.5 million in grant funding >> https://loom.ly/0F56HSk RESTORE Colorado is a partnership among NFWF and Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), Colorado Department of Natural Resources, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Gates Family Foundation, Oxy, Chevron, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), USDA Forest Service and USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. 📷: Left to right: Stream in Kawuneeche Valley-Rocky Mountain National Park; North Fork of the Gunnison River; Moose at Maroon Lake #colorado #conservation #wildlife #environment

Coming soon to a community near you 👉 👉 volunteer community stewardship projects! Today NFWF is pleased to announce $2.3 million to nationwide community stewardship efforts. Awarded through the Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Grant Program, 43 projects across 28 states will engage communities to improve water quality, restore wetlands, enhance habitat for fish and wildlife, conserve natural resources and preserve these resources for future generations. Congrats on your grant awards, Ruffner Mountain, Arizona Sustainability Alliance, Earth Island Institute, Outdoor Outreach, City of Moreno Valley, Friends of the Los Angeles River, Friends of the Front Range Wildlife Refuges, Miami Waterkeeper, Friends of the Chicago River, Shedd Aquarium, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc., Common Ground Relief, NeighborSpace of Baltimore County, Charles River Watershed Association, City of Battle Creek, Michigan, Friends of the Mississippi River, Mississippi State University, New York Restoration Project, Johnson Creek Watershed Council, NYC Bird Alliance, Think Wild Central Oregon, Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania, Allegheny Land Trust, Grow Pittsburgh, Town of Fort Mill, SC, Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association, Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association, Heartland Conservation Alliance, National Audubon Society, and more! We’re excited to see what you accomplish. Major funding is provided by USDA’s NRCS, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), USDA Forest Service, FedEx, Southern Company and Arconic Foundation. 📷: Restoration activities from previous Five Star projects. Photos courtesy of Concrete Couch and Shedd Aquarium. #conservation #environment #youth #volunteer #nature #communities #outdoors

Creating greater access to public green space and reducing the effects of stormwater through green infrastructure can help communities become more resilient against the effects of climate change, pollution and other environmental stressors. That’s why the Southeast Michigan Resilience Fund seeks to expand green stormwater infrastructure and improve habitat quality across southeast Michigan. Learn more >> https://loom.ly/_9TQLn4 Thank you to our funding partners, Cleveland-Cliffs, the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the USDA Forest Service. 📷: An urban garden with the Detroit skyline in the background