Cooperative Agreement F25AC01806

MULTIYEAR COASTAL GEORGIA HABITAT RESTORATION AND RESILIENCY INITIATIVEPROJECT ABSTRACTTHIS NEW AGREEMENT ALLOCATES A TOTAL OF $15,000 IN U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE (USFWS) GRANT FUNDING FROM THE COASTAL PROGRAM DURING FY2025 TO SUPPORT THE MULTIYEAR COASTAL GEORGIA HABITAT RESTORATION AND RESILIENCY INITIATIVE. THE GEORGIA CONSERVANCY HAS BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH PARTNERS TO PLAN AND IMPLEMENT RESTORATION PROJECTS DESIGNED TO MINIMIZE MULTIPLE STRESSORS AND FACILITATE THE RECOVERY OF FEDERALLY LISTED AND AT-RISK SPECIES IN COASTAL GEORGIA. THIS INITIATIVE WILL TIE INTO CURRENT EFFORTS OF THE GEORGIA CONSERVANCY TO COLLABORATE ON CURRENT HABITAT RESTORATION AND RESILIENCY INITIATIVES AMONG THIS GROUP OF PARTNERS BY FACILITATING A COST-SHARE PROGRAM WITH THE USFWS COASTAL PROGRAM. THE FY2025 FUNDING WILL BE USED TO SUPPORT NEW PROJECTS THAT WILL LIKELY BE IMPLEMENTED DURING FY 2025 2026. BASED ON CURRENT FUNDING, ONE PROJECT OUT OF A GROWING LIST OF COASTAL RESILIENCY PROJECTS WILL LIKELY BE FUNDED. THESE PROJECTS INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE LIVING SHORELINE COST-SHARE PROJECT, BELLE ISLE LAND MANAGEMENT AND ACQUISITION PROJECT, TYBEE ISLAND JAYCEE PARK COASTAL MARSHLAND RESTORATION PROJECT, BLACKSHEAR WETLANDS URBAN WETLAND RESTORATION, CONCEPTUAL DESIGN OF COX RD MCLELLAN PROPERTY PROJECT, SMALL-SCALE CULVERT REPLACEMENT WITH SINERR AND CWC PROJECT, AND THE CONSERVATION PURCHASE OF GREEN ISLAND PROJECT. EACH OF THESE PROJECTS WILL UNDERGO BOTH IMPLEMENTATION AND EFFECTIVENESS MONITORING USING STANDARDIZED AND SCIENTIFICALLY DEFENSIBLE DESIGNS WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH THE USFWS, GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, GEORGIA ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DIVISION, OR OTHER EXPERT ORGANIZATIONS OR STAFF. THE PROJECTS WILL BE DESIGNED TO HELP RESTORE AND ENHANCE GEORGIA S COASTAL RIVER SYSTEMS AND MARITIME FOREST HABITAT THROUGH THE REDUCTION OF SEDIMENT INFLUX AT DIRT ROAD AND STREAM INTERSECTIONS AS WELL AS ALONG COASTAL SALT MARSHES AND SHORELINES, STREAMBANK STABILIZATION, AND HABITAT COMPLEXITY ENHANCEMENT. ADDITIONALLY, THE PROJECTS WILL HELP BOLSTER PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH ON COASTAL HABITAT RESTORATION AND CONSERVATION. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES FROM THESE PROJECTS INCLUDE INCREASING OR MAINTAINING THE OCCUPANCY OR ABUNDANCE OF FEDERALLY LISTED OR AT-RISK SPECIES IN REACHES OR AREAS WHERE RESTORATION OCCURS, IMPROVING COASTAL AND TRANSITIONAL HABITAT OCCURRING WITHIN OR ADJACENT TO RESTORATION SITES, AND INCREASING PUBLIC INTEREST IN COASTAL ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION AND CONSERVATION. IF THE PLANNED PROJECTS ARE UNABLE TO BE IMPLEMENTED FOR UNFORESEEN REASONS, THE GEORGIA CONSERVANCY WILL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A COMPARABLE PROJECT(S) ELSEWHERE IN THE COASTAL RIVERS OR MARITIME FOREST FOCUS AREAS.