Florida

Alachua Conservation Trust
Restoring and Maintaining Longleaf Pine in the Ocala Local Implementation Team Geography (FL)
Enhance 18,000 acres of existing longleaf habitat and establish an additional 1,000 acres of longleaf pine seedlings to benefit red cockaded woodpecker, Bachman’s sparrow, and gopher tortoise in north-central Florida. Project will engage private landowners in longleaf restoration through a prescribed burn association, and will restore and enhance longleaf pine habitat on the Ocala National Forest and public and private lands surrounding Camp Blanding Joint Training Center.
$285,000

Anthropocene Alliance
Higher Ground: Green Infrastructure for Resilience (multiple states)
Convene six community-based organizations in disaster-prone neighborhoods to engage local partners to train volunteers and teach residents about nature-based practices and install six high visibility projects as a catalyst for broader implementation. Project will reach 600 community members and successes will be shared with peer flood survivors around the country through a network of 48 leaders in 22 states.
$494,758

Apalachee Regional Planning Council
Franklin County Living Shoreline (FL)
Install nearshore reefs to reduce wave energy and allow the creation of expansive intertidal salt marshes to protect 12 miles of shoreline and Highway 98. Project will improve Apalachicola Bay’s health and productivity with anticipated benefits to include 12 miles of shoreline habitat improved and roadway protected, 30 acres of intertidal marsh created, 20 acres of estuarine reef created, and almost 3,000 community residents benefitted.
$7,443,063

Arizona State University
Developing and Testing Solar-Powered Net Illumination to Reduce Leatherback Sea Turtle Bycatch (AZ, FL)
Further develop and test a promising gill-net gear technology for the reduction of sea turtle bycatch. Project will improve existing design to enhance both usability and impact for leatherback turtles and conduct both controlled and active fishing tests of the gear.
$102,083

City of Mexico Beach
City of Mexico Beach Wetland Restoration and Dune Installation (FL)
Restore 45 acres of wetlands to address flood control, water quality and habitat restoration, and complete design of a beach dune to protect against storm surge and establish beach vegetation habitat for the benefit of species. Project will conduct planning, design and permitting required to get the project construction-ready and implement wetland restoration.
$335,908

City of Mexico Beach
Post Hurricane Michael Marine Debris Assessment and Removal in the City of Mexico Beach (FL)
Assess the current levels of marine debris that remain from Hurricane Michael along the city of Mexico Beach and nearshore area and develop a plan for removal. Project will first assess and then, if warranted, establish a removal and disposal effort to address storm debris along 16,000 linear feet of the city’s shoreline.
$100,000

Coral Restoration Foundation
Increasing Coral Nursery Capacity and Active Restoration of Reefs in the Florida Keys (FL)
Support active coral restoration at four sites in the Florida Keys to benefit endangered coral species. Project will improve 27.5 acres of reef habitat through increased coral propagation and direct reef restoration.
$99,998

Dog Island Conservation District
Dog Island Post Hurricane Marine Debris Removal (FL)
Remove the debris field from Hurricane Michael that is impacting coastal habitat on Dog Island. Project will restore 2 miles of beach and dunes that were severely impacted by damage and debris from this storm.
$516,780

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
GIS Capacity and Training to Support Gulf-Wide Ecosystem Conservation and Restoration (AL, FL, LA, MS, TX)
Provide geographic information system (GIS) expertise and training in support of Gulf-wide ecosystem conservation and restoration programs and projects. Project will develop GIS layers and maps where Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council and Natural Resources Damage Assessment projects have been approved for planning and implementation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
$300,000

Florida Aquarium
Coral Genetic Diversity and Diadema Urchin Propagation Techniques for Reef Restoration (FL)
Address key capacity gaps in the full execution of the Mission: Iconic Reefs strategy in the Florida Keys. Project will increase genetic diversity of elkhorn coral and develop a nursery stock of Diadema urchins to be used in the broader restoration effort.
$168,720

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Implementing a Comprehensive Marine Debris Management Program (FL)
Build capacity for marine debris conservation and implement key elements of a comprehensive marine debris management program in Florida. Project will develop and implement multiple state marine debris plan activities and develop a marine debris website to facilitate statewide and regional marine debris prevention, removal, research, education and outreach.
$162,000

Gulf County Board of County Commissioners
St. Joseph Peninsula Dune Habitat Enhancement Project (FL)
Restore 3 miles of shoreline on St. Joseph Peninsula through sand and vegetation restoration. Project will provide coastal resilience by increasing the stability and longevity of the beach sand and encouraging additional dune growth through trapping wind-blown sand, increasing storm protection by limiting the damaging effects of storm surge, and promoting wildlife protection and increasing habitat.
$3,700,000

Manomet
Coordinating American Oystercatcher Recovery on the Atlantic Coast (multiple states)
Provide coordination of the American oystercatcher recovery initiative and actionable change based on lessons learned from 2009-2019 and reduce the impact of predators and human disturbance on populations of breeding shorebirds along the U.S. Atlantic coast. Project will contribute substantially to the goals of the Atlantic Flyway Business Plan.
$79,999

Mote Marine Laboratory
Using Electronic Monitoring for Sustainability in the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Fishery (FL, LA, TX)
Expand electronic monitoring in the Gulf of Mexico reef fish fishery to address fisheries management objectives by monitoring for catch and bycatch, improving data management, and enhancing usability. Project will build on more than four years of electronic monitoring system improvements and comprehensive data collection to advance implementation of electronic monitoring as a Gulf-wide priority.
$500,292

Ocean Aid 360
Restoring Coastal Estuaries through Gear Removal and Community Engagement (FL)
Mobilize diverse entities, including boaters, anglers, watershed groups, industry, students and government; through training and sponsored events to detect and remove marine debris along Florida coastlines. Project will remove roughly 30,000 pounds of derelict fishing gear from estuary habitat.
$60,000

Okaloosa County
Veterans Park Living Shoreline, Erosion Control and Habitat Restoration (FL)
Install a living shoreline to protect over 2,200 linear feet of shoreline at Veterans Park on Choctawhatchee Bay. Project will reduce the impact of wave energy and provide oyster habitat, a seagrass recruitment area, and a salt marsh shelf.
$1,500,000

Okaloosa County
Okaloosa Island Dune Restoration and Enhancement (FL)
Install sand fencing and plant native vegetation across a 3 mile stretch on Okaloosa Island. Project will reestablish the sand dunes to mitigate lost habitat and create additional habitat and the native vegetation will help stabilize the dunes especially during major storm events.
$60,000

Reef Fish Conservation and Education Foundation
Engaging the Next Generation of Commercial Fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico (AL, FL, LA, MS, TX)
Develop a workforce training program to recruit and educate young fishermen for the commercial seafood harvesting sector. Project will engage fishery leaders from various fisheries across the Gulf of Mexico in face-to-face meetings to design and plan a young fishermen training program for the Gulf of Mexico and develop a review of similar programs around the United States.
$25,835

Saltwater
Expanding and Improving the Use of Electronic Monitoring in the Gulf of Mexico Shrimp Trawl Fishery (multiple states)
Expand and improve the use of electronic monitoring in the Gulf of Mexico shrimp trawl fishery by installing electronic monitoring systems and collecting data on protected species interactions and red snapper bycatch volume and locations. Project will maximize the utility of the collected data for both fishery management and dealer verification of catch origin and sustainable fishing practices.
$173,145

Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife
Implementing Innovative Technologies in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin (FL, GA)
Increase implementation of agricultural best management practices for irrigation efficiencies by providing technical and financial assistance to farmers to improve water conservation and benefit native aquatics species in the lower Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint basin.
$114,525

The Longleaf Alliance
Collaborating to Restore Longleaf in the Gulf Coastal Plain Ecosystem Partnership Landscape (AL, FL)
Restore and maintain 44,000 acres of longleaf pine habitat in south Alabama and the western panhandle region of Florida to benefit rare and declining species such as the Bachman’s sparrow, red-cockaded woodpecker, gopher tortoise and northern bobwhite. Project will provide technical assistance to private landowners and deploy an ecosystem support team to implement prescribed burning, plant longleaf pine, remove invasive species, and support rare species recovery on public and private lands.
$300,000

The Nature Conservancy
Increasing Longleaf Pine Restoration and Management in the Okefenokee/Osceola Landscape (FL, GA)
Establish 1,000 acres of longleaf pine and improve the management of an additional 50,000 acres of longleaf habitat with prescribed fire on public and private lands in south Georgia and northeast Florida. Project will target longleaf pine establishment and improved management on lands that will maximize wildlife habitat value and connectivity and reduce the likelihood and impact of catastrophic wildfire.
$275,000

The Nature Conservancy
Improving and Expanding Longleaf Pine Habitat in the Florida Panhandle (FL)
Restore and enhance 31,000 acres of longleaf pine habitat within the Apalachicola Regional Stewardship Alliance area of the Florida Panhandle located between the Aucilla and Choctawhatchee rivers. Project will plant longleaf pine and understory species, implement fire and mechanical management in existing longleaf habitat, and provide financial assistance to priority private landowners, improving habitat for the eastern indigo snake and Bachman’s sparrow.
$300,000

Town of Cutler Bay
Cutler Bay Wetland Habitat Restoration (FL)
Create an environmental learning lab along the Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands within the Town of Cutler. Project will engage 40 volunteers to improve and enhance the 2 acre upland area with native trees, plants and shrubs in addition to establishing a walking path with educational signage promoting the conservation of the adjoining wetlands, pine rocklands and the sensitive ecology of Biscayne Bay.
$20,000

University of Florida
Gulf-wide, In-water Sea Turtle Monitoring Plan (FL)
Develop a statistically sound plan for the establishment of a coordinated Gulf-wide network for collection and compilation of critical abundance, demographic, and biological information on sea turtles in the Gulf of Mexico. Project will provide Gulf-wide monitoring of sea turtles and the implementation of standardized monitoring protocols that will provide important context for project-level monitoring at individual sites where restoration is implemented and would assist with comparisons across multiple projects.
$256,940

University of Florida
Hurricane Michael Marine Debris Removal in Northwest Florida
Removal and disposal of hurricane caused vessel and structural debris resting on coastal vegetation and adjacent uplands. Project will address marine debris negatively impacting St. Andrew, St Joseph, and Apalachicola Bay communities.
$3,000,000

University of Florida
Testing Coral Intervention Methods to Optimize Reef Restoration in the Florida Keys (FL)
Field test management interventions to address local threats to coral restoration success. Project will evaluate the effectiveness of localized coral predation control and monitor water quality gradients to establish best practices in coral restoration.
$149,204

University of Georgia Research Foundation
Development of a Planted Longleaf Pine Growth and Yield Model for the Southeast (AL, FL, GA, NC, SC)
Create a new growth and yield model system for longleaf pine that will allow more accurate growth projections for landowners considering longleaf pine reforestation who may have timber management objectives. Project will establish, document and measure permanent plots in planted unthinned longleaf pine stands on cut-over sites in the southeast United States, and the data will be used to calibrate a growth and yield model for multiple factors for longleaf pine.
$243,999

University of Hawaii - Manoa
Studying Effects of Water Quality on Coral Reproductive Success (FL, HI)
Study coral proteins to determine the role of reduced coastal water quality and associated stressors on reproductive success of corals in Florida and Hawaii. Project will study water quality effects on coral reproduction to help understand the extent of reproductive failure at priority restoration sites and to identify site-specific stressors.
$149,803

University of Miami
Using Coral Reef Restoration to Enhance Coastal Resilience of South Florida Shorelines (FL)
Restore over 150,000 coral colonies to over 125 acres of reef habitat in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties, Florida. Project will build coastal resilience to extreme weather, waves, flooding, and beach erosion; incorporate state-of-the-science approaches to build climate resilience into restored corals; and create essential habitat for fisheries and enhanced recreation opportunities.
$2,996,814

Walton County, Florida
Coastal Dune Lake Hydrologic Restoration (FL)
Remove two old and dilapidated culverts vulnerable to catastrophic weather events under County Road 30A and replace them with bridges on two coastal dune lakes. Project will restore the connection and circulation of the lakes and improve the lake community and adjacent ecosystems.
$1,224,604