At its Nov. 15 quarterly meeting, the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) approved approximately $3.18 million in grants to help restore and protect fish and wildlife habitat throughout California. Some of the eight approved projects will benefit fish and wildlife — including some endangered species — while others will provide public access to important natural resources. Several projects will also demonstrate the importance of protecting working landscapes that integrate economic, social and environmental stewardship practices beneficial to the environment, landowners and the local community.

Funding for these projects comes from a combination of sources including the Habitat Conservation Fund and bond measures approved by voters to help preserve and protect California’s natural resources.

Funded projects include:

• Acceptance of a no-cost conservation easement over approximately 2,325 acres of Humbug Valley land by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), to be held with the Feather River Land Trust as co-grantee for a cooperative project with the Maidu Consortium and Pacific Gas and Electric. This project will protect the culturally significant Tàsmam Koyòm homeland of the Maidu, and provide wildlife corridors, future wildlife-oriented public use opportunities, and protection of the Yellow Creek fishery, near Chester in Plumas County. (photo above)
• A $96,000 grant to the Mojave Desert Land Trust to acquire approximately 320 acres of land for the protection of desert habitat corridors in the Morongo Basin, near the community of Joshua Tree in San Bernardino County.

• A $1.7 million grant to the City of Arcata and Humboldt State University for a cooperative project with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CALFIRE), CDFW and the Resources Agency to acquire approximately 967 acres of land within the Jacoby Creek watershed, and the acceptance of a conservation easement over the property by CALFIRE.

• A $250,000 grant to the East Bay Regional Park District for a cooperative project with the Bureau of Reclamation to replace the fishing dock, upgrade restrooms and provide ADA access at the Channel Point area of Contra Loma Regional Park, in the City of Antioch in Contra Costa County.

For more information about the WCB please visit www.wcb.ca.gov.