The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation has approved five restoration and conservation projects in Alabama’s Gulf Coast region, a total of $47 million for what will be the final projects funded through a program established after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster.
The NFWF selected the projects for the Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund after extensive consultation with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, according to the announcement from Gov. Kay Ivey.
The projects are:
- Dauphin Island east end restoration phase II, $26 million
- Gulf Highlands conservation acquisition (amendment), $8.2 million
- Lower Fish River watershed restoration phase II, $9 million
- Wolf and Sandy Creek headwaters restoration phase II, $2.8 million
- Alabama coastal adaptive management, $1 million
The projects bring the total awards from the GEBF in Alabama to $356 million over 10 years.
“Together, these investments tell a story of significant accomplishments that will go a long way in protecting Alabama’s diverse, coastal ecosystem for decades to come,” Ivey said in a press release. “Whether it be our investments into maintaining the coastal reefs that support our thriving red snapper fishery or our land conservation efforts to protect game and non-game species in places like the Perdido River Corridor, Fort Morgan Peninsula and the Grand Bay Savanna, there is no doubt Alabama has made the absolute most of these funds.”
Related: ‘The Perdido is the sum of its parts:’ Why this river matters
State adding hundreds of new offshore fishing reefs
Go here for more infomation about the GEBF projects, including an interactive map.
The GEBF received $2.5 billion in settlement money from criminal charges against BP and its codefendants in the oil spill disaster, according to the Associated Press.
Ivey said that while the five projects announced today mark the last of Alabama’s allocation from the NFWF portion of the BP oil spill settlement, restoration continues.
“I would like to recognize Conservation Commissioner Chris Blankenship, DWH Restoration Coordinator Amy Hunter and the team at the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for the work they continue to do for the citizens and natural resources of Coastal Alabama,” Ivey said.
The governor’s office said projects funded by the NFWF over the last decade have resulted in:
- Nearly 9,000 acres of important habitats acquired, conserved, restored or enhanced
- Nearly 11 miles of vulnerable shoreline protected
- Improved water quality through three miles of stream restoration that will avoid 50-70 million pounds of sediment annually
- More than 250 acres of artificial reef habitat and thousands of artificial reefs installed to enhance fish productivity
- Sustainable fisheries management through comprehensive science and monitoring
- Increased capacity and habitat enhancements to bolster populations of coastal birds, marine mammals, and sea turtles
- Restoration of more than 800 acres of oyster reef habitat
“Today’s announcement represents the culmination of historic conservation investments in Alabama following the Deepwater Horizon tragedy,” Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF, said. “Working closely with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, we have made strategic investments that support fish and wildlife and their habitats. These projects will continue to enhance the productivity and resilience of the Alabama coast for decades to come.”
