The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) 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. The 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.
Among the projects funded through the most recent grant awards are:
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.”
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.
In late 2022, CDFW announced the availability of $200 million in new funding for restoration, including $100 million in emergency drought funding for protecting salmon against drought and climate change. Funding under the Addressing Climate Impacts and Nature Based Solutions initiatives provides grant funding for projects addressing water and habitat impacted by climate, as well as restoring wetlands and mountain meadows and creating wildlife corridors. Remaining funding for wetland and mountain meadow restoration is available through the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.
In early 2023, CDFW announced increased funding availability through the Cannabis Restoration Grant Program (CRGP). Funding under CRGP facilitates environmental stewardship by providing financial assistance for projects that support watershed-scale restoration, among other priorities.
This funding also supports key initiatives, including conserving 30 percent of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030 under California’s 30x30 initiative, Nature-Based Solutions and increasing the pace and scale of restoration through Cutting the Green Tape.
More information about these funding opportunities, including guidelines and how to apply, general information about CDFW’s grant programs, as well as a schedule for upcoming grant solicitations, once available, can be found at www.wildlife.ca.gov/grants.
