The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation has awarded The Nature Conservancy a $450,000 grant to fund a comprehensive conservation plan for the Delaware River Basin.
The project is a joint effort involving The Nature Conservancy’s Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Eastern New York chapters, the Natural Lands Trust, and the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary.
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation announced the grant award on Wednesday, July 14.
The Delaware River Basin and its surrounding watershed represent one of the most intact freshwater systems in the region. Freshwater systems are inextricably linked to the lands that surround them, and the adverse impacts of threats including development, pollution, and climate change have taken a toll on the health of the Basin.
However, many areas of the basin remain in good condition, and opportunities exist to conserve high quality habitats and restore those that have been degraded, said Andrew Manus, director of Conservation Programs for The Nature Conservancy of Delaware. The Delaware Basin Restoration Initiative will identify opportunities to protect and improve water quality and habitat, as well as provide a blueprint for the region’s conservation organizations and agencies to implement components of the plan.
“We’re excited to be a part of a science-based, partner-driven approach to determine the best places in the Delaware River basin to protect and restore,” Manus said. This project will help advance collaborative conservation throughout the basin”.
This comprehensive effort builds upon previous conservation plans, such as the Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan for the Delaware Estuary, State Wildlife Action Plans and The Nature Conservancy’s regional and site-based conservation plans to develop a shared set of conservation and restoration priority areas. This enables coordinated action among the many agencies and organizations contributing to the conservation of the Delaware River watershed.
U.S. Rep. Michael N. Castle (R-Del.), co-chair of the Delaware River Basin Task Force in the U.S. Congress, applauded the grant award.
“I am committed to working with my colleagues on conservation and restoration of this national treasure of great cultural, environmental, and ecological importance,” he said.
The Delaware River is the longest un-dammed river in the eastern United States. The Delaware River basin drains over 13,000 square miles and supports almost 15 million people who depend on its resources for, among other things, clean drinking water. Within the greater northeastern United States, there is a history of habitat loss and degradation, with many river systems being altered and polluted.
