Funder: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Due Dates (Anticipated): July 2027 (Proposal deadline)
Funding Amounts: More than $22.9 million awarded to 95 projects from 2017–2025
Summary: Supports forest and freshwater habitat restoration in Central Appalachia to sustain native birds, brook trout, eastern hellbenders and freshwater mussels.
Key Information: Supports projects in portions of Maryland, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia, prioritizing 10 focal geographies.
Description
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Central Appalachia Habitat Stewardship Program restores and sustains healthy forests, rivers and streams. Established in 2017, it aims to improve habitat quality and connectivity and increase the distribution and abundance of native wildlife. Forest work focuses on managing public and private lands as large blocks of mixed-aged forest, with greater age and structural diversity for golden-winged warbler, wood thrush and cerulean warbler.
Freshwater priorities include removing passage barriers, restoring riparian buffers, and improving water quality and hydrology for eastern brook trout, eastern hellbender and native freshwater mussels. The program also supports outreach and technical assistance to forest landowners and practitioners, helping expand wildlife-friendly management while improving carbon storage, water quality and other ecosystem services.
