NFWF Announces $2 Million in Grants to Benefit Forests and Watersheds of the Northeast

WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 15, 2025) – The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) today announced more than $2 million in grants in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York to improve management of grassland habitat for bobolink, enhance populations of New England cottontail and golden-winged warbler, and prioritize aquatic barrier removal for multiple species, including brook trout and Atlantic salmon. The grants will generate $3.2 million in matching contributions for a total conservation impact of nearly $5.3 million.

The grants were awarded through the Northeast Forests and River Fund (NEFRF), a partnership between NFWF and USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service and Sylvamo. 

"In the ninth year of this program, we continue to build and leverage strong partnerships across the northeastern U.S. to advance key conservation priorities,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF. “The grants awarded today will implement innovative strategies to improve and protect essential habitats throughout the region's dynamic forests, grasslands and river systems. These grants will not only not only benefit wildlife and their habitats but also contribute to the resilience and vitality of local ecosystems and economies."

The projects supported by the 10 grants announced today will support the goals of NFWF's new Northeast Watersheds Business Plan, a 10-year conservation investment strategy for the region with focal species including brook trout, golden-winged warbler, wood turtle, New England cottontail and bobolink.

"These partnerships target conservation efforts to enhance wildlife habitat on working landscapes," said NRCS Chief Terry Cosby. "NRCS is proud to work alongside NFWF and other partners to expand our ability to get conservation on the ground."

The overall goal of the program is to restore and sustain healthy rivers, forests and grasslands that provide habitat for diverse fish and wildlife populations. There are two priority areas for New England cottontail: one centered in western Connecticut and the other in southern Maine and eastern New Hampshire. For golden-winged warbler, there are three priority areas: two in northern New York, and the other focused in the Lake Champlain basin. For brook trout, wood turtle, and bobolink the upper Connecticut River basin is one priority watershed.

"We are honored to support these vital projects that protect forests throughout the Northeast where our team members live and work. At Sylvamo, we are committed to the success of the entire ecosystem, including the forests we love. This five-year, $1.25 million partnership will enhance sustainably managed forests, allowing them to flourish for generations to come," said Sylvamo Chief Sustainability Officer James McDonald.

From 2015 through 2024, the program has awarded more than $15 million in funding to 106 projects, matched by over $25 million from grantees for a total conservation impact of more than $40 million. These projects will restore early successional and mature forest habitat, modify and replace barriers to fish movement, restore riparian and instream habitat, and engage hundreds of volunteers in forest habitat restoration and stream connectivity projects.

A complete list of the 2024 grants made through the Northeast Forests and Rivers Fund is available here.    

About the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Chartered by Congress in 1984, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) protects and restores the nation’s fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Working with federal, corporate, foundation and individual partners, NFWF has funded more than 6,800 organizations and generated a total conservation impact of more than $10 billion. NFWF is an equal opportunity provider. Learn more at nfwf.org.

About the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
For more than 90 years, NRCS has helped farmers, ranchers and forestland owners make investments in their operations and local communities to improve the quality of our air, water, soil, and wildlife habitat.  NRCS uses the latest science and technology to help keep working lands working, boost agricultural economies, and increase the competitiveness of American agriculture. NRCS provides one-on-one, personalized advice and financial assistance and works with producers to help them reach their goals through voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs. Now, with additional funding from the Inflation Reduction Act, NRCS is working to get even more conservation practices on the ground while ensuring access to programs for all producers. For more information, visit nrcs.usda.gov. 

About the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is to work with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals, and commitment to public service. For more information about our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov. The public can also connect with our Facebook page, follow our tweets, watch our YouTube channel and download photos from our Flickr page.

About the U.S. Forest Service
Established in 1905, the U.S. Forest Service is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The mission of the Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world. Public lands the Forest Service manages contribute more than $13 billion to the economy each year through visitor spending alone. Those same lands provide 20 percent of the nation’s clean water supply, a value estimated at $7.2 billion per year. The agency has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 80 percent of the 850 million forested acres within the U.S., of which 100 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live. For more information, visit www.fs.usda.gov.

About Sylvamo
Sylvamo (NYSE: SLVM) is the world’s paper company with mills in Europe, Latin America and North America. Our vision is to be the employer, supplier and investment of choice. We transform renewable resources into papers that people depend on for education, communication and entertainment. Headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, we employ more than 6,500 colleagues. Net sales for 2023 were $3.7 billion. For more information, please visit Sylvamo.com.

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Contact:

Rob Blumenthal, 202-857-0166, rob.blumenthal@nfwf.org