###

Press release from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife:

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) today announced the award of $17 million in grants for 18 restoration and protection projects throughout the state, including projects to benefit disadvantaged communities, salmon and steelhead in the Klamath-Trinity watershed, wetlands and meadows and watersheds impacted by cannabis cultivation. Today’s awards continue the ongoing efforts to support critical restoration projects with funding made available in late 2022 through the Nature Based Solutions (NBS) Initiative and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Funds, funding through CDFW’s Cannabis Program, as well as funding dedicated to habitat restoration through Proposition 68.

“Timing is critical to restore and protect California’s biodiversity, and we’re seizing this moment to support a diverse array of projects that will benefit fish, wildlife, lands and watersheds across the state,” said CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham. “By collaborating with these important conservation partners, advancing Tribally-led restoration, and by staying focused on protecting ecosystems with the greatest need, we’ll ensure these funds will help support vulnerable species and communities across California.”

Since the beginning of 2023, CDFW has awarded close to $292 million through a single application process for several funding initiatives. This streamlined process allowed CDFW to get funds out to the door faster to critical restoration projects. Visit the Restoration Grants Story Map page to learn more about funded projects.

Proposition 68 Klamath-Trinity Projects

CDFW is awarding $1.6 million in Prop. 68 Klamath-Trinity funding to four restoration projects in the Klamath-Trinity watershed. 

- Cutting the Green Tape for Scott River Watershed Restoration ($127,000 awarded to the Scott River Watershed Council)

“We are honored to receive support for our project,” said Betsy Stapleton, permitting specialist with the Scott River Watershed Council (SRWC). “The project builds off CDFW and State Water Resource Control Board initiatives to cut green tape and streamline restoration permitting, thereby helping achieve major state initiatives such as conserving 30% of California’s lands by 2030. We work closely with state and federal agencies, Tribes, local landowners and other NGOs to scale up restoration in the Scott River Watershed, a critically important Klamath River tributary. This work addresses the impacts of climate change, competing demands for limited water and the need for salmonid recovery. Incorporating SRWC’s place-based approach and long-term relationships to reduce the administrative permitting burden, the project will also ensure ongoing environmental protection, allowing limited restoration dollars to deliver more on the ground restoration. Thank you, CDFW.”

- Scott River Tailings Restoration Phase 2 ($219,000 awarded to Scott River Watershed Council)

This project will improve in-stream and floodplain conditions along the Scott River Yuba Dredge Tailings, a highly degraded 5-mile reach of the Scott River, for the benefit of anadromous salmonids.

“Our family has owned this property for 40 years and has implemented various restoration activities over the years,” said landowner Larry Alexander. “We greatly value our collaboration with the Scott River Watershed Council in helping to spearhead some significant restoration activities on this particular reach of the Scott River. We are very gratified by the positive results of moving this reach back toward a more proper functioning condition riparian zone.”

- Middle Stotenburg Creek Coho Habitat Enhancement Project ($517,000 awarded to the Smith River Alliance)

“This project is part of a larger effort to restore fish passage and salmonid habitat across the Smith Coastal Plain,” said Monica Scholey, program coordinator with Smith River Alliance. “The Smith River Plain is a highly productive ecosystem and important feeding ground and migration stop for numerous aquatic species. Restoration of fish passage along the tributaries and slough channels of the Smith River Plain is vital for the management and protection for salmonid populations. Last year we removed several fish passage barriers just downstream from this new project site on Stotenburg Creek, a tributary on the Smith River Plain. Last winter we observed coho and Chinook salmon immediately benefit from this work. We are thankful for the support and opportunity to continue restoring fish passage in Stotenburg Creek.”

- Marble Peaks Ranch Acquisition ($814,000 to The Nature Conservancy — $799,000 funded by Prop. 68 Klamath-Trinity and $14,000 funded by Prop. 68 Severely Disadvantaged Communities)

“The Nature Conservancy is grateful for the support of CDFW for the acquisition of this important property in the Scott River Watershed,” said Amy Campbell, project director for The Nature Conservancy. “Projects that lead to the restoration of habitat and permanent protection flows are essential to the recovery of coho salmon, especially in light of the recent dam removals in the Klamath Basin and can assist local communities with adjusting to a future where water security for both people and nature is essential.” 

Proposition 68 Severely Disadvantaged Communities Projects

CDFW is awarding $4.56 million in Prop. 68 funding to five restoration projects to benefit severely disadvantaged communities.  

- Ormond Beach Perkins Road Area Restoration Project ($251,000 awarded to the city of Oxnard)

“The Perkins Road area of Ormond Beach, though located just half a mile from a severely disadvantaged community and the 200,000-resident population of Oxnard, is seldom visited by families and the general public for recreation or wildlife viewing,” said Eric Humel, grants coordinator with the city of Oxnard. “Receiving this grant funding will help to ensure that residents and youth have knowledge of the ecological significance of the wetland area and are able to learn about and participate in its restoration.”

Riparian Buffer Fencing on Iron Gate and Copco 1 Reservoirs ($800,000 awarded to Trout Unlimited, Inc.)

“This funding is a key investment in making sure the native vegetation planted in the former reservoir has the best chance possible to get established and restores the riparian habitat along the Klamath in the coming years,” said Evan Bulla, Klamath River project coordinator with Trout Unlimited, Inc. “Healthy, diverse vegetation along the river corridor is important for water quality and critical habitat for the insects, birds and wildlife of the watershed. We’re proud to be working with our partners on this piece of restoring the Klamath River following dam removal.”

- Prairie Creek Floodplain Restoration Project ($3.1 million awarded to the Yurok Tribe)

The project will restore rearing and spawning habitat to alleviate key limiting habitat and life stage factors necessary for recovery of listed salmonids at a strategic location within the Redwood Creek watershed.

Wetland and Mountain Meadow Restoration

As part of its Nature-Based Solutions Initiative, CDFW is awarding $6.7 million in Wetlands and Mountain Meadows Restoration Funding and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Funds to six projects that will restore and enhance wetlands and meadows throughout the state.

- Cottonwood Meadow Hydrologic Improvement Project - Phase 1 ($244,000 awarded to Tuolumne River Trust) 

“Tuolumne River Trust is incredibly grateful to be awarded this critical funding to implement the first phase of restoration work at Cottonwood Meadow,” said Julia Stephens, River and Meadow Restoration Program director with Tuolumne River Trust. “This project will restore wetland conditions that will benefit over 30 acres of meadow habitat in an area affected by the 2013 Rim Fire and identified by the Stanislaus National Forest as a top priority for restoration for wildlife habitat. Tuolumne River Trust and the Stanislaus National Forest have been working hard towards this milestone for over three years and are ready to hit the ground running next summer.”

- Lower Klamath Refuge Water Deliveries ($2.25 million to the California Waterfowl Association — $1.85 million from Nature Based Solutions-Wetlands and $392,000 from Prop. 68 Severely Disadvantaged Communities)

“The Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge is arguably the most important wetland in California from a waterfowl breeding, molting and staging area for resident and migratory waterfowl, especially for California’s mallard population, which has been in steep decline over the past couple decades and now at record low levels,” said Jake Messerli, CEO of the California Waterfowl Association. “We are thankful for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s partnership and support as we work to restore the Klamath refuges back to the vibrant wetland ecosystem they once used to be.”

- Tunnel Meadow Restoration and California Golden Trout Conservation Project ($813,000 to Trout Unlimited, Inc.)

“Tunnel Meadow is of critical importance to the persistence of the beloved state fish of California, the Golden Trout,” said Jessica Strickland, California Inland Trout Program manager with Trout Unlimited, Inc. “Trout Unlimited, the Inyo National Forest and partners couldn’t be more excited to add it to the portfolio of meadow restoration currently underway in the headwaters of the South Fork Kern River.”

- Windler Floodplain Habitat Enhancement ($2 million to the Salmon River Restoration Council)

This project will enhance salmonid rearing habitat at the Windler River bar, on a reach of the North Fork Salmon River, by lowering the floodplain and increasing connectivity. Riparian revegetation will increase shade and diversity along channels and across the river bar.

- Design and Permitting for White Mallard Dam Improvements and Butte Creek Flow Enhancements ($740,000 to Ducks Unlimited, Inc.)

“This project is a win for salmon. Keeping more water in Butte Creek will minimize the chance that salmon stray into canals,” said Cliff Feldheim, fish and wildlife biologist with Ducks Unlimited, Inc. “This project sets a precedent of how to manage Butte Creek water for salmon, agriculture and managed wetlands while developing a framework for landowners and biologists to work together to keep salmon in Butte Creek and out of canals.”

- Kuulanapo Wetland Preserve Restoration ($1.1 million awarded to Lake County Land Trust)

“It is with great appreciation that we accept this grant from CDFW,” said Lake County Land Trust Board President Valerie G. M. Nixon. “We look forward to co-managing the Kuulanapo Wetland Preserve with The Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians. As we work together to restore the health of the wetlands, uplands and Clear Lake, we have much to learn from the descendants of the first people to manage this land.” 

Cannabis Restoration Funding

CDFW is awarding $4.3 million in Cannabis Program restoration funding to five projects to promote ecosystem restoration and ecological health throughout California.

- Recovery of Foothill Yellow-Legged Frog in Tuolumne and Merced River Watersheds ($368,000 to the Yosemite Conservancy)

Since 2013, Yosemite Conservancy donors have contributed more than $2.2 million to protect aquatic species in Yosemite National Park, including targeted efforts to reintroduce once-common, now-endangered Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frogs. That effort has resulted in a measurable increase in yellow-legged frog numbers in Yosemite — one of few examples of a frog population rebounding as amphibians decline worldwide. This latest project involving Yosemite National Park biologists and CDFW will improve habitat in the Tuolumne and Merced River watershed to increase the yellow-legged frog population and benefit native stream-dwelling fish and wildlife species. 

“Protecting vulnerable species like yellow-legged frogs maintains the park’s biodiversity as nature envisioned,” said Yosemite Conservancy President Frank Dean.  “By focusing on the stewardship of new areas of habitat, we hope to further increase the yellow-legged frog population and simultaneously improve conditions that also benefit a variety of other wildlife,” This project is a great example of an effective, sustained and collaborative wildlife management program.”

In addition to yellow-legged frog programs, Yosemite Conservancy support has gone to red-legged frogs, Yosemite toads, western pond turtles and several salamander species in Yosemite Valley and other areas of the park.

- Enhancing Dune Habitat and Ecosystem Function within Northern Monterey County State Parks ($467,000 to the San Jose State University Research Foundation)

This project will expand local dune restoration efforts to Moss Landing State Beach and Zmudowski State Beach. Restoration efforts include removing invasive species, reestablishing native dune vegetation and encouraging sand deposition using natural materials to enhance habitat quality and increase coastal resilience.

- Weaver Creek Habitat Restoration Implementation ($1.4 million to the Yurok Tribe)

This project will address degraded stream channel conditions along a 1-mile section of Weaver Creek, a coho-bearing stream with high intrinsic potential. These rehabilitation efforts will create instream habitat for many special status species, bolster riparian habitat and ensure a single threaded wet channel during summertime baseflow conditions.

-Los Peñasquitos Watershed Assessment & Invasive Plant Management Plan ($1,073,000 to Los Peñasquitos Lagoon Foundation)

The project will conduct a comprehensive, multi-jurisdictional watershed assessment to map, evaluate and prioritize areas needing invasive plant treatment on a watershedscale.

- Fish Passage and Habitat Improvements to Dry Creek Yuba and Nevada Counties ($991,000 to Sierra Streams Institute)

In conjunction with the U.S.-Air-Force-funded removal of Beale Lake Dam, this project will restore access to 15 miles of historic riverine migratory corridor for fall-run Chinook salmon and the federally threatened Central Valley steelhead and create approximately 3 acres of improved spawning habitat.

“Sierra Streams Institute is excited to be able to improve salmonid habitat throughout the entire Dry Creek watershed, from its headwaters, through Beale Air Force Base and our work with them on restoring habitat after removal of the Beale Lake Dam, down to the confluence with the Feather River,” said Sierra Streams Institute Executive Director Jeff Lauder. “Dry Creek historically supported robust populations of Chinook salmon. Through this series of projects partnering with the Army Corps of Engineers, Sutter Buttes Regional Land Trust and CDFW, we can take steps toward restoring an active Chinook population in this vital foothill stream system.”