National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Awards $1.3 Million in Grants to Conserve Habitat in the Southeast’s Cumberland Plateau
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) today awarded $1.3 million in grants to seven conservation projects that will restore, enhance and protect shortleaf pine and riparian forests and in-stream habitats in Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee. The grants will generate $1.3 million in matching contributions for a total conservation impact of $2.6 million.
The seven grants announced today will establish and enhance more than 9,700 acres of shortleaf pine and riparian forests within the Cumberland Plateau, improving habitat for game species including wild turkey and northern bobwhite and other forest-dependent birds like Bachman’s sparrow. In addition, the projects will improve 77 miles of in-stream and riparian habitats to benefit multiple fish and mussel species including blueface darter, eastern hellbender and Alabama lampmussel. These efforts will also engage more than 1,400 private landowners through technical assistance and outreach.