Delmarva Nonprofit Awarded $1.5M Conservation Grant

An Eastern Shore nonprofit was awarded $1.5M grant to help support Middle Chesapeake Sentinel Landscape Resilience project.

The Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) has recently been awarded a $1.5 million grant through the North American Wetland Conservation Act (NAWCA) to help support the first phase of their Middle Chesapeake Sentinel Landscape Resilience project.

Phase one of this project is aimed at protecting, “land within highly resilient marsh migration areas of Dorchester County, will ultimately protect over 2,250 acres of land in the region, including over 850 acres of declining wetland habitat. Protection of these habitats is key for the movement of wildlife species in the region, including waterfowl, Delmarva Fox Squirrel, and endangered species, such as the Saltmarsh Sparrow” (Press Release).

The NAWCA grant program was created to, “increase bird populations and wetland habitat, while supporting local economies and American traditions such as hunting, fishing, bird watching, family farming, and cattle ranching. Wetlands protected by NAWCA provide valuable benefits such as flood control, reducing coastal erosion, improving water and air quality, and recharging ground water” (NAWCA Program).
Project partners include:
  • The Nature Conservancy
  • The Conservation Fund
  • Ducks Unlimited
  • MD Department of Natural Resources
  • the U.S. Navy
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Read the full press release.

More Information on NAWCA Grants