Habitat Protection and Restoration
Forecasted
Habitat Protection and Restoration supports nonprofits, educational and government organizations in protecting and restoring fish habitat to sustain Great Lakes fish populations and natural reproduction.
Funder: Great Lakes Fishery Trust
Due Dates (Anticipated): February 2027 (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: Up to $1,300,000 available in the 2026 cycle; on-the-ground restoration awards generally cover no more than 50% of project costs
Summary: Supports habitat protection, restoration, connectivity improvements, and related planning to sustain Great Lakes fish populations.
Key Information: Property interests and GLFT-funded improvements must remain available, controlled, and maintained for at least 20 years.
Description
The Great Lakes Fishery Trust (GLFT) supports tangible projects that preserve essential habitat, restore and stabilize fish habitats, and increase habitat availability for Great Lakes fish. Supported work includes dam and barrier removal, fish passage improvements, wetland and in-stream restoration, watershed-scale barrier inventories, targeted land acquisition, and early-stage planning, community engagement, engineering, and design.
The program prioritizes long-term, sustainable natural reproduction for species currently supported by hatchery production, particularly salmonids and nonsalmonid predator game species. Rehabilitation of lake whitefish, lake trout, lake sturgeon, and other important Great Lakes fish populations is also supported. Capital investments focus on prime habitat opportunities with contributions from other funders, assured long-term management, and strong community support. Habitat research and evaluation of restoration efforts are funded through separate GLFT program areas.
