The california coastal conservancy, california trout, INC., and the yurok tribe are receiving 1,000,000 from thenational coastal wetland conservation grant program to implement phase 3B of the prairie…

The State Coastal Conservancy will receive $1.421 million through March 1, 2023 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program to implement Phase 3B of the Prairie Creek Floodplain Restoration Project. The project will restore 0.9 miles of instream habitat, provide access to nearly 23 acres of floodplain and backwater habitat, and restore or conserve up to 19 acres of emergent wetland and nearly 24 acres of riparian vegetation in Humboldt County, California by December 31, 2026. Specific restoration activities include installing a 2-acre freshwater emergent backwater pond, modifying 1,676 feet of streambank, placing five large wood structures, removing 5.8 acres of invasive plants and revegetating 6.6 acres of wetland and riparian areas, installing exclusion fencing, and removing a 6-acre area of asphalt. The project aims to support the recovery of threatened salmon and steelhead species and enhance habitat for other federally and state-listed wildlife. Upon completion, the restored area will be transferred to Redwood National and State Parks. The National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program (CFDA 15.614) aims to provide matching grants to coastal states for coastal wetlands conservation projects.

The california coastal conservancy, california trout, INC., and the yurok tribe are receiving 1,000,000 from thenational coastal wetland conservation grant program to implement phase 3B of the prairie creek floodplainrestoration project (pcfrp). The project is located on a former mill site north or orick in humboldt county, california.redwood creek and its tributary prairie creek are critical habitat for soncc coho salmon, CC chinook salmon, and NC steelhead. The redwood creek coho population is deemed core to species recovery and the creek s populations of chinook and steelhead are essential to recovery.prairie creek, upstream of its confluence with redwood creek about 3 miles from the coast, provides some of the highest quality salmonid habitat on the north coast of california. Downstream of the confluence, however, the last three miles of redwood creek are confined by levees and only small remnants of estuarine habitat remain at the coast. The degraded estuary and lack of floodplain connectivity near the coast significantly reduces the productivity of salmonids in a watershed of exceptional potential, and are identified as key limiting stresses inrecovery plans for the creek. The pcfrp will restore the limited rearing and spawning habitat needed for recovery of listed salmonids andsupport pacific salmon fisheries. The pcfrp will improve 0.9 miles of instream habitat, restore access to NEARLY23 acres of floodplain and backwater habitat, and restore or conserve up to 19 acres of emergent wetland andnearly 24 acres of riparian vegetation.phase 3B has a footprint of 44.26 acres and will achieve the following objectives by 12-31-26:1: install one 2-acre freshwater emergent backwater pond.2: modify 1,676 feet of streambank by laying back the slope.3: install 5 large wood structures in newly excavated section of prairie creek and the new pond.4: remove 5.8 acres of invasive plants and revegetate 6.6 acres of wetland, riparian, and upland habitat.5. Install temporary exclusionary fencing to protect new vegetation.6. Remove one 6-acre area of former mill site asphalt to provide for fill storage for successive restorationphases.7: develop and post 10 digital products featuring the restoration project.8: sponsor 6 guided birding events at the site and 3 site tours. The pcfrp is a component of a larger initiative known as the redwood national and state park visitor center and restoration project (rnspvcr project), which involves construction of a world-class visitor center next to the restored creek. The project property is located just outside of the rnsp and owned by save the redwoods league, but when the restoration is complete will be transferred to the national park service for inclusion in the rnsp.outcomes beneficiaries:-19.32 acres of nationally declining palustrine wetlands will be restored near the coast to help provide missingrearing habitat and improve downstream baseflows.-the recovery of federally threatened soncc coho and CC chinook salmon, and NC steelhead will be supported.-habitat for 23 federally or state listed species or state species of special concern will be enhanced.-water quality will be improved in essential fish habitat by the project s removal of asphalt and itscontaminants and invasive plants.-the community will be engaged with the project through employment, onsite tours, birding events, and socialmedia reports and updates.-future restoration of declining wetlands in the redwood creek estuary will be catalyzed by the larger rnspvcr project, as IT will facilitate removal of the old visitor center in the estuary-the project will serve as a living demonstration of salmonid habitat needs when the restored habitat is ondisplay at the new rnsp visitor center.-local economic opportunities for disadvantaged communities will be expanded by the project and the futurevisitor center of which IT is a part.-the yurok tribe will have meaningful roles in the project.