DU receives $476K grant to benefit Doe Creek Wildlife Management Area

WASHINGTON, DC (October 20, 2022) –Today the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) announced 12 grants totaling $3.5 million to support wildlife habitat, climate change resilience, community conservation partnerships, and equitable access to nature in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The first step to achieve the goals of the Chesapeake Watershed Investments in Landscape Defense (Chesapeake WILD) Act, the new Chesapeake WILD grant program will leverage more than $4.7 million in grantee matching funds in its inaugural year, for a total conservation impact of $8.2 million.

“The first round of grants for Chesapeake WILD sets the stage for lasting conservation impact through investments in locally led initiatives that support the health and vitality of the watershed,” said Kyla Hastie, acting regional director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Northeast Region. “By complementing existing partnerships in the watershed, the program is helping to direct resources to unmet needs that reflect shared conservation priorities.”

• Four grants are going to Virginia projects, including more than $476,000 (+$200,000 in matching funds) to Ducks Unlimited for improving 147 acres of tidal wetlands for waterfowl in the Doe Creek Wildlife Management Area.
• A total of $3.5 million ($8.2 million with matching funds) is being given to nonprofits across the watershed through 12 grants for locally led initiatives.
• All the funding and projects will result in the permanent protection of more than 3,300 acres of fish and wildlife habitat, the restoration of nearly 1,000 acres of forest and marsh habitat and more than 20 miles of rivers and streams across the Chesapeake Bay watershed. 

Ducks Unlimited ($476,000) will enhance water management capabilities at Doe Creek Wildlife Management Area on Virginia’s Eastern Shore through new water control structures and other measures that improve management of 147 acres of tidal wetlands for waterfowl and recreational benefit.