“Gulf Coast Conservation” 2017 Grant Slate

ABOUT NFWFThe National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) protects and restores our nation’s fish and wild-life and their habitats. Created by Congress in 1984, NFWF directs public conservation dollars to the most pressing environmental needs and matches those invest-ments with private funds. Learn more at www.nfwf.org

NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS 1133 15th Street NWSuite 1000Washington, DC 20005 202-857-0166

NFWF CONTACTSuzanne SessineProgram Director, Southern Coastal Programssuzanne.sessine@nfwf.org202-595-2477

Ian DavidsonDirector, Bird Biology and Conservationian.davidson@nfwf.org202-595-2496

PARTNERSMajor funding for the Gulf Coast Conservation Grants Program is provided by:• Shell • Southern Company• Sea World• USDA NRCS

OVERVIEWThe National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) has announced 10 grant awards totaling $1.9 million to enhance coastal habitats, bolster fish and wildlife populations and strengthen resilience along the Gulf of Mexico. Grantee organizations have committed approximately $6 million in match, generating a total conservation impact of nearly $7.9 million.

The 2017 grant awards address three key strategies:• Strengthening coastal resilience• Advancing conservation and management on private lands• Conserving living resources

Grantees will enhance the conservation of key wildlife species, including sea turtles, marine mammals, waterfowl, the endangered Mississippi sandhill crane and federally listed mussels species and Gulf sturgeon.

Advancing Water Conservation and Management on PrivateLands in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River Basin (FL)Grantee: Southeastern Association of Fish and WildlifeGCCGP Award: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $250,000Matching Funds: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $750,000Total Project: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,000,000Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife will promote water conservation best management practices on 6,000 acres of agricultural lands within the Apalachicola-

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A mallard duck coming in for a landing.

Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River basin. The project will protect flow to benefit habitat for six federally listed mussel species, gulf sturgeon, and a host of other endemic species native to the Chipola River and ACF basin.

Less-Than-Fee Beachfront Acquisition Strategies to Protect and Enhance Sea Turtle Nesting Habitat (FL)Grantee: Alachua Conservation TrustGCCGP Award: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $50,000Matching Funds: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $65,000Total Project: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $115,000Alachua Conservation Trust will analyze a feasibility assessment for using coastal conservation easements in priority locations for sea turtle conservation in Florida and continue to negotiate for the acquisition of conservation-focused interests. The project will also continue to increase coastal Floridians’ knowledge and awareness of sea turtle conservation and private land conservation tools through a workshop for interested stakeholders.

Sandhill Crane RefugeAcquisition in Jackson County (MS)Grantee: Wildlife MississippiGCCGP Award: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$115,468Matching Funds: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,732,031Total Project: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,847,499

Wildlife Mississippi will place 80 acres of grassland in Jackson County, Mississippi under permanent conservation easement. Project will protect an agricultural property that provides important habitat for the critically endangered Mississippi sandhill crane and is currently used by up to nine cranes (7% of the wild population) for foraging and raising colts.

Swamp Habitat Reforestation in Southeast LouisianaGrantee: Lake Pontchartrain Basin FoundationGCCGP Award: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $90,132Matching Funds: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $132,800Total Project: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$222,932 Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation will restore 41 acres of swamp forest and engage 750 volunteers in planting 8,000 trees, benefitting 18 species of concern including the bald eagle, prothonotary warbler, mottled duck, swallow-tailed kite, Louisiana black bear and alligator snapping turtle. The project will increase storm surge protection for the largest urban areas in southeast Louisiana.

Recycled Oyster Shell LivingShoreline in Barataria Basin (LA)Grantee: Coalition to Restore Coastal LouisianaGCCGP Award: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $249,910Matching Funds: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$586,509Total Project: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$836,419

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Gulf Coast Conservation Grants Program 2017 Grant Slate

Swallow-tailed kite

Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana will create a living shoreline from 800 tons of recycled oyster shell along a western section of Louisiana’s Barataria Basin, protecting 2,500 linear feet of shoreline from erosion. The project will establish two acres of oyster reef habitat, fortify 12 acres of marsh habitat and engage 250 community members in creating a more resilient coast.

Montegut Bald Cypress Forest Marsh Restoration at Pointe-aux-Chenes Willdife Management Area (LA) - IIGrantee: Restore the Earth FoundationGCCGP Award: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$105,000Matching Funds: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$481,500Total Project: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $586,500Restore the Earth Foundation will restore 200 acres of freshwater bald cypress forest marsh through 20,000 tree plantings on a 4,000-acre landmass at Pointe-aux-Chenes Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Louisiana. The project will improve water quality, enhance community resilience and provide habitat to support fish, bird and wildlife species native to the area.

Louisiana Chenier Plain Rice StewardshipGrantee: Ducks UnlimitedGCCGP Award: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$200,000Matching Funds: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$200,000Total Project: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $400,000

Ducks Unlimited will enhance over 2,000 acres of working wetlands on private lands and support the conservation of 25,000 acres of ricelands. The project will result in increased staff time, technical assistance, programmatic support, and technology implementation to protect and enhance working ricelands in southwest Louisiana.

Working Lands, Water and WildlifeProtection at Live Oak Farm in Vermilion Parish (LA)Grantee: The Conservation FundGCCGP Award: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $500,000Matching Funds: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,500,000Total Project: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,000,000The Conservation Fund will permanently conserve 800 acres of working farmland containing critical wildlife and waterfowl habitat at Live Oak Farm in Vermilion Parish, representing the first phase in a long-term strategy to protect the entire 5,800 acre farm. The project will protect lands of high ecological and economic value that will otherwise remain at risk of conversion to another use and/or poor management practices.

Enhanced Capability andOutreach for the Coastal Wildlife Network (LA)Grantee: Audubon Nature InstituteGCCGP Award: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $91,675Matching Funds: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $93,090Total Project: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $184,765Audubon Nature Institute will develop a stronger marine stranding network for the state of Louisiana through increased data quality and quantity collection to determine more accurate causes of death. The project will also support the development of a Volunteer Corp and outreach programs to increase public awareness around stranding in communities of the northern Gulf coast region.

Texas Coastal Prairie ConservationGrantee: Coastal Prairies CoalitionGCCGP Award: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$250,000Matching Funds: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$427,926Total Project: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $677,926Coastal Prairies Coalition will strengthen coastal resilience and conserve living resources through conservation and management on private lands as part of the overall Gulf Coast Conservation Initiative. The project will provide landowner outreach to enroll 100 acres of additional wetlands in the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Agricultural Conservation Easement Program and conduct habitat restoration and enhancement on 2,000 acres already under easement.

Gulf Coast Conservation Grants Program 2017 Grant Slate

Marsh, Louisiana