The national oceanic and atmospheric administration is providing $464,990 in federal funding to the georgia department of natural resources through the FY2024 and FY2025 national estuarine research…

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office for Coastal Management awarded $464,990 to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources under the FY2024 and FY2025 National Estuarine Research Reserve Habitat Protection and Restoration Grant Competition (CFDA 11.473). The cooperative agreement, effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2029, will fund habitat restoration and land conservation activities to enhance coastal community safety and productivity across Georgia's coastal counties.

Specifically, the Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve will utilize these funds to restore the heavily disturbed Airstrip Field—a grassy area within the reserve's upland zone—to maritime forest habitat. The project involves restoring Southern live oak and other native ecotone transitional plantings that will enhance ecosystem services and create economic opportunities for surrounding communities. Deliverables include habitat restoration planning, engineering and design projects, habitat restoration implementation, and land conservation activities that will return the field to a natural landscape and restore critical ecological functions.

The national oceanic and atmospheric administration is providing $464,990 in federal funding to the georgia department of natural resources through the FY2024 and FY2025 national estuarine research reserve habitat protection and restoration grant competition. This funding will increase the safety and productivity of coastal communities within coastal counties through habitat restoration planning, engineering and design projects, habitat restoration implementation projects, and land conservation projects. Specifically, sapelo island national estuarine research reserve will use these funds to restore a heavily disturbed grassy field (airstrip field), located within the reserves upland zone, to maritime forest habitat. The reserve would now like to return the field to a natural landscape, restoring southern live OAK (quercus virginiana) along with other ecotone transitional native plantings that will greatly enhance the areas ecosystem services and provide economic opportunities for the surrounding community.