We are thrilled to be partnering with the California Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) to design and implement habitat restoration strategies across the state. Through two grants representing $50 million in funding over four years, Point Blue will support critical headwaters Sierra Meadow restoration projects and community-based restoration on working landscapes across California. Point Blue is administering these funds with significant amounts redirected to partner organizations in addition to direct implementation by our own teams. WCB is a primary implementing agency for Governor Newsom’s bold goal of conserving and restoring 30% of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030, an initiative known as 30×30. These two grant awards represent the culmination of more than 20 years of collaboration with state agency partners, and a year of deep relationship building and program development by Point Blue with WCB. We are deeply grateful to WCB for their trust in us, as well as the many partners and supporters who will be instrumental in achieving the grants’ outcomes.
Roots Program
The working landscapes block grant, which we are calling The Roots Program, is the result of a $26 million block grant award to Point Blue from the California Wildlife Conservation Board. Over the next four years, the Roots Program will build wildlife-friendly resilience and equity in California’s working landscapes through restoration and habitat improvement projects on farms and ranches. Point Blue will prioritize outreach and funds to projects that are otherwise hard to reach through state funding mechanisms, with a focus on reaching disadvantaged communities. The funds will provide resources to support core work in our STRAW (Students and Teachers Restoring A Watershed) and Working Lands programs while growing our capacity for equity building and social science research.
Point Blue accepted our first round of applications for restoration projects in the spring of 2023 and expect to release a second round soon. Here is the full Request for Proposals we shared: pdf download in English and in Spanish.
Sierra Meadows Partnership Block Grant
Point Blue is leading the Sierra Meadows Partnership (SMP) to leverage an existing foundation of collaboration as well as our extensive expertise in restoration, science, implementation and management, to restore 6,000 acres of meadow habitat, complete planning for an additional 4,000 acres, and identify the next 2,500 acres of priorities to begin planning. We will advance the practice of meadow restoration and management through strategic monitoring, research, coordination, and communications.
Why meadows? Current estimates indicate that there are at least 280,000 acres of meadow within the greater Sierra Nevada ecosystem. Although this area makes up a relatively small fraction of the region, meadows’ unique hydrologic and ecological functions are recognized as being vital to watershed health and are valued for the ecosystem goods and services they provide.
Get Involved
You can help the environment and support our work in lots of ways: becoming a conservation volunteer, attending our events, or following and sharing our blogs and newsletters.
Consider making a donation as well. Give Today