Five Star Restoration Challenge Grant Program

2002 Awards

Alaska

Matanuska-Susitna Borough, in partnership with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service, and the National Resource Conservation Service, is implementing the Willow Creek Streambank Restoration. The project will stabilize streambank that has been degraded and educate residents about the importance of watershed protection and enhancement. The Willow Creek Streambank Restoration will stabilize approximately 600 feet of streambank using efficient and proven techniques. A total of 3,600 square feet of degraded habitat will be revegetated. Educational signage and activities for watershed protection and enhancement will be designed/installed to provide information to improve fish and wildlife habitat, and detail the importance of the riparian zone for a healthy watershed. Partial funding for this project is provided by the NOAA Fisheries Community Based Restoration Program.

California

The Jacoby Creek Land Trust (JCLT) will actively restore aquatic and riparian habitat on streamside property owned or held under a conservation easement by JCLT. Jacoby Creek is a tributary to Humboldt Bay and is a regionally significant stream for spawning and rearing of anadromous salmon. Work will include revegetation and removal of exotic plants on over one mile of Jacoby Creek riparian corridor, construction of fencing to keep livestock out of riparian corridor, and re-establishment of native medicinal and basketry plants used by local Wiyot people. Education and outreach will be provided for landowners and residents of the Bayside/Jacoby Creek community and stream monitoring and education will be conducted with students of Jacoby Creek School. Partners will include: Bayside Grange, Redwood Community Action Agency, Jacoby Creek Protective Association, Jacoby Creek School, City of Arcata, California Wildlife Conservation Board, Pacific Watershed Associates, Department of Fish and Game, Humboldt Area Foundation and Freshwater Farms. Partial funding for this project is provided by the NOAA Fisheries Community Based Restoration Program.

The Wishtoyo Foundation is a nonprofit Native American organization that uses traditional Chumash cultural values to foster environmental awareness. Their project will restore Nicholas Canyon Creek in Malibu to a highly functional riparian ecosystem, while also reducing flood potential and enhancing the area's scenic beauty. Volunteers will aid in the removal of exotic species (iceplant, arundo, myporum, etc.), trash and debris from the creek bed. Appropriate native species planted by teams of Chumash Native Americans, students and community volunteers. The project will be a demonstration site encouraging expansion of restoration to upstream sections of Nicholas Canyon Creek and other streams in the Santa Monica Mountains. The Wishtoyo Foundation's partners in the effort include community volunteers, students and teachers from the Turning Point School in Santa Monica, the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors, and Growing Solutions Restoration Education Institute. Partial funding for this project is provided by the NOAA Fisheries Community Based Restoration Program.

This student-run operation aims to restore native plant habitats in the watersheds of Richmond, San Pablo, Oakland, and neighboring cities. In order to improve biodiversity and wildlife habitat near inner-city neighborhoods and increase awareness and access to riparian corridors, the Hands-On Native Plants program involves Richmond High School students and Creek Keepers in improving the environmental integrity of their community through stewardship. In addition, Creek Keeper students are growing native plants for school gardens, city and regional parks, and local restoration projects in the San Francisco Bay Area. This specific grant will incorporate Creek Keepers in a native plant restoration project on Wildcat Creek in Richmond. Restoration activities will provide better habitat for aquatic life in the creek, provide treatment for urban runoff pollutants, and improve the riparian corridor for wildlife. Partners for this project include the East Bay Regional Park District, the City of Richmond, Richmond High School, the City of San Pablo, West Contra Costa Integrated Waste Management Authority, and the Flood Control District. Partial funding for this project is provided by the NOAA Fisheries Community Based Restoration Program.

The Kids and Creeks program takes conservation education into over 25 classrooms in the Chico area to engage students with lessons on anadromous fish, riparian habitat restoration, and creek ecology. In the restoration component, students will experience local creek environments and learn about the importance of healthy creek habitats by restoring 110,000 square feet of riparian corridor along Big Chico Creek. They will remove invasive vegetation, plant native species, and maintain the site through monitoring and litter removal. The project aims to involve elementary and secondary school students in the stewardship of their local watersheds by building community partnerships and awareness, doing restoration work in local riparian areas, attracting a diverse group of partners, and providing field opportunities for environmental education and career development. Project partners include California Department of Fish and Game, CSU Chico, City of Chico Park Department, Adopt-a-Watershed, California Flyfishers' Association, Chico Unified and Durham Unified School Districts, EPA, and USFWS. Partial funding for this project is provided by the NOAA Fisheries Community Based Restoration Program.

The Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation, in partnership with Cabrillo Power, the City of Carlsbad, the California Department of Fish and Game, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and the Regional Water Quality Control Board, proposes to eradicate a non-native, highly invasive tropical algae (Caulerpa taxifolia) from the Agua Hedionda Lagoon. Project will use professional teams to survey for, identify, and treat infestations of Caulerpa in the lagoon. Vinyl tarps will be placed over infestations of Caulerpa, edges of tarps will be sealed to the bottom using sandbags, and chlorine will be added under the tarps to kill the algae. Another component of this project will be outreach to the public through signs, brochures, fliers, and informational binders. These materials will be made available at community meetings, public workshops, pet and aquarium shops, dive stops at lifeguard stations along the beach, and to harbormasters and boaters at various recreational harbors. Partial funding for this project is provided by the NOAA Fisheries Community Based Restoration Program.

Colorado

Bowles Metropolitan District will restore and preserve natural areas on the 493 acre Grant Ranch. This project will bring together the water district, county and state government, NGOs, homeowners and schools as partners in this effort. Restoration efforts will include extension of a wetland swale, clean up of disturbed lands, weed control, ditch management and development of wetlands, marshes and shrublands. Development of homes and other structures continues in this area; the project will show by demonstration that people and wild areas can coexist. The restoration activities are part of a larger project: the Grant Ranch Nature Park and Learning Gardens. Partial funding for this project is provided by Lockheed-Martin Corporation.

Connecticut

The Norwalk River Watershed Association will create a park to provide a pedestrian link between historic, natural, commercial, and recreational resources at the Gilbert and Bennett Brook. Work includes the removal of invasive species, plantings, and construction of a footbridge over the stream and handicapped-accessible paths. In addition, educational signs will be posted throughout the park informing the public about floodplains, wetland plants, point and nonpoint sources of pollution, the emerging Norwalk River Valley Trails System, and the historic use of the river by the Gilbert and Bennett Wire Mill Plant and dam. Ultimately, the location of the park, at the intersection of the towns Weston, Wilton, Redding, and Ridgefield, will make it the major link in integrating essential community components, increasing the economic viability of the area and providing excellent opportunities for education, outreach, recreation, and public awareness.

Delaware

The Delaware Center for the Inland Bays, in partnership with the Sussex County Council, the University of Delaware's Graduate College of Marine Studies, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Cape Henlopen High School, and Sussex Technical High School, will train citizen volunteers to culture American Oysters. The cultured oysters will be introduced to a man-made reef in Indian River Bay. The goal of the project is to successfully restore a self-sustaining American Oyster population in the Bay and improve water quality conditions through the natural biofiltration capacity of oysters. The Center for the Inland Bays aims to provide educational and outreach opportunities for the local community that demonstrates the relationship between sustainable shellfish populations and improved bay water quality. Funding for this project is provided by the NOAA Fisheries Community Based Restoration Program.

Florida

The University of Central Florida will restore 30 oyster reefs that extend over 200 acres in Mosquito Lagoon within Canaveral National Seashore and produce fact sheet, web-based lesson plans and a traveling exhibit for younger audiences. This project will involve community volunteers from local school and universities to help construct and deploy shell mats and monitor oyster recruitment. Due primarily to anthropogenic influences, vast intertidal reefs of the ecologically important oyster (Crassostrea virginica) have declined by as much as 50% over the last half-century along the east coast of central Florida. It has been recently discovered that this species plays a crucial role in reef habitats by acting as a filtering system, food source for mobile species, and protecting mangrove and salt marsh communities. Partial funding for this project is provided by the NOAA Fisheries Community Based Restoration Program.

Illinois

Deerfield High School, in partnership with Lake County Stormwater Management, Union and West Skokie Drainage Districts, Illinois Learn and Serve, and Fujisawa Healthcare, Inc. will implement the Middle Fork Wetlands Restoration Project. This project will restore the Middle Fork River to its former hydrological flow while educating and making stewards of local school children. The Middle Fork Restoration Project will restore the riparian habitat, increase species diversification, and provide a living, working, natural laboratory for Deerfield Township High School students as well as the surrounding community. 600 feet of streambank will be stabilized and restored, using best management practices to improve the overall quality of the stream corridor.

Indiana

The LaGrange County Department of Parks and Recreation, in partnership with LaGrange County Highway Department, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Indiana Power and Light Company, and Pheasants Forever will implement the LaGrange County Prairie/Wetland Restoration Project. This project will involve the restoration of 19 acres of drained wetland to wet meadow prairie and emergent wetland. The newly restored land will act as an outdoor classroom for both school students and the community, and will illustrate the importance of ecosystem health. On this county owned land, the creation of this prairie wetland will enhance the already present educational opportunities at the LaGrange County Nature Preserve. A large number of visitors will be able to view this enhancement and experience hands on educational opportunities. The completion of the LaGrange County Prairie/Wetland Restoration project will ensure the environmental awareness and education of the citizens of Lagrange County for years to come.

Idaho

Bonner Soil & Water Conservation District will protect and preserve the historic Sandpoint Fish Hatchery along the Pend Oreille River and surrounding wetlands and forest for wildlife habitat, public access and outdoor education. The project will involve collaboration between groups including the Bonner Soil & Water Conservation District, the Idaho Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the Idaho Department Fish and Game and Panhandle Lakes RC&D. The project seeks to restore 6.5 acres of a unique, hardwood wetland by removing noxious weeds, clearing debris and rehabilitating areas impacted by human activities. Additionally, walking trails and interpretive exhibits and programs will be created for controlled public access on the site.

Kansas

The Chaplin Nature Center, with project partners, will work to restore the wetland and re-establish the growth of native plants on the nature center. Chaplin Nature Center will work with the Wichita Audubon Society, G.E. Elfuns, Americorps, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Cowley Community College to promote the value of wetlands through hands on experience by the restoration of a one-acre plot located on the grounds of the center. This wetland restoration will provide the students of Cowley Community College the opportunity to understand the value of wetlands through actual plantings, research, and involvement in the restoration of a wetland. Future students will contribute through additional plantings for greater diversity, monitoring growth and habitat management projects. The scope of the project will serve to create an educational tool for the public and school programs, as well as provide a tremendous benefit to wildlife.

Kentucky

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government is partnering with Kentucky-American Water Company, the Kentucky Division of Forestry, the League of Women Votes, Lexmark International, as well as a variety of other organizations to complete "Reforest the Bluegrass 2003 - Valley Park." The project will reforest floodplain areas where houses are currently being torn down as a result of massive flooding. Citizens will be instructed on how to care for their properties in a way that will not harm the watershed. While volunteers from throughout the areas come together for "Reforest the Bluegrass" tree planting event, they will be instructed by a team of experts in ways to reduce the amount of pollution they may be unknowingly contributing to. Once the planting has occurred, the area will be deemed as a "no mow" zone, surveyed for species survival rates, and monitored and controlled for invasive species. The project will create stewards out of the volunteers and help save valuable land from future devastation from flooding.

Maryland

The Assateague Coastal Trust will work with local oyster gardeners (ACT), the University of Maryland, Salisbury University, the Maryland Coastal Bays Foundation (MCBF), the Maryland DNR, and others to improve oyster habitat in the coastal bays. This project represents the second year of the organization's program. The program will include surveys of the organisms which are present at an existing reef that was created last year through the program. In addition, new oyster habitat will be created by expanding the southern edge of the existing oyster bed and creating a ¼ acre bed in a shallow intertidal zone. Because of the difficulty in obtaining oyster shell to use as reef building material, clam shell will be used as the substrate material. The Salisbury University BioEnvirons Club, along with other nonprofit groups (MCBF, Ocean City Surfriders Foundation, ACT) will provide volunteer labor to create the bed. The reefs will be restocked by volunteers with newly gardened oysters. After creation of the new reef, the area will be monitored on a long-term basis. Funding for this project is provided by the NOAA Fisheries Community Based Restoration Program.

275 students from Takoma Park Middle School will participate in conservation education, riparian buffer restoration, and wetland restoration activities. The students will map a stream buffer area 0.25 miles long, remove non-native plants, and re-establish native plants in the riparian area. In addition, the students will help to restore a wetland area at Brookside Gardens, a public arboretum maintained by the Maryland Capital Parks and Planning Commission. Materials are being donated by local nurseries and civic organizations, as well as the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Partial funding for this project is provided by EPA's Chesapeake Bay Program.

Massachusetts

The South Shore YMCA will fully breach and partially remove the Mill Pond Dam to allow for fish movement and migration through the former channel within the impoundment. The project goal is to ultimately restore alewives to Third Herring Brook and their historic upstream spawning grounds. Additionally, the project will include restoration of the riparian and wetland habitat along Third Herring Brook at the former impoundment. A full breach of the Mill Pond Dam will create approximately 3 acres of wetlands and 2.5 miles of free-flowing stream. The South Shore YMCA will partner with the River Restore Triage Team, North and South Rivers Watershed Association, MA Bays National Estuary Program and community students and volunteers to accomplish this project. Partial funding for this project is provided by the NOAA Fisheries Community Based Restoration Program

Michigan

Dearborn Public Schools, in partnership with Ford Motor Company, Friends of the Rouge, the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Cervices (ACCESS), Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village, Harley-Ellis Inc./Tilton Associates, Walbridge Aldinger Inc., and William McDonough and Partners, is engaged in a collaborative and multifaceted effort between corporations, educational institutions, and multiple community cultures to restore the Rouge World Center wetland. Historically, there were significant wetlands in the area, but now the vast majority have been drained, filled and developed. A unique storm water management system will be created including approximately 6.5 acres of treatment wetlands. Students will receive hands on experience with the ecological restoration process and benefit from schoolyard habitat establishment. The Rouge World Center will provide continuing education on ecological restoration and other sustainability practices.

Missouri

The St. Charles County Parks and Recreation Department is partnering with the USDA, Missouri Department of Conservation, the YMCA of Greater St. Louis, and the local Girl Scout Troop to complete the creation of wetland areas and the restoration of a riparian buffer along Peruque Creek to serve as a demonstrative and educational laboratory site. The Quail Ridge Park Project focuses on the creation of a wildlife habitat in a growing area, and the education of the community that surrounds it. The restoration of riparian buffers will assist in the management of stormwater runoff from the park and serve as an example of how to provide a positive impact on the water quality of Peruque Creek. Through the use of signage and other interpretive materials, residents can learn the benefits of wetland areas. Also, the St. Charles County Park Department will use the newly created and restored site as part of their nature programming when educating the public on various environmental issues.

The North Kansas City Schools, in partnership with Ford Motor Company, ENTRIX Inc., Wild Ones - Missouri Native Plant Society, Boys and Girls Club and Gracemor Elementary School and PTA, will restore wetlands and construct an interpretive nature trail on nearly 20 acres of riparian woodland/meadow bordering Thornton Mill Creek. Part of the subject property will be donated by Ford Motor Company with a conservation easement to be preserved in perpetuity as a natural area. Boys and Girls Club and school students will be constructing and installing bird boxes in early spring prior to plantings of native plants.

Montana

Beaverhead County, in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management, Union Pacific Railroad, the Bureau of Reclamation, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and the Montana Department of Transportation, is implementing the Upper Beaverhead Watershed Weed Project. The project will eliminate noxious and invasive weeds that threaten the Beaverhead River Corridor and educate the public on the importance of invasive species removal. At a community "Weed Day" more than 200 community members will learn the importance of invasive species removal and the benefits that removal has on the Beaverhead River. Residents also learn what they can do in their own backyards to promote watershed health. Professionals, under the direction of Beaverhead County will use various proven techniques to eradicate noxious weeds from a portion of the Beaverhead River Corridor.

Nebraska/South Dakota

The Wildlife Management Institute, in partnership with countless other counties, national agencies, local agencies, universities, South Dakota and Nebraska state agencies, and others is implementing the Purple Loosestrife Management Project. This project encompasses a large portion of both South Dakota and Nebraska and will implement management strategies for areas with Purple Loosestrife infestation. The project will also foster a broad informational outreach and early detection program for those areas that are un-infested but as risk. The effective management of Purple Loosestrife directly results in the preservation of wetland and riparian areas. This project will put into place a 10 year management program for the controlling and mapping of Purple Loosestrife, as well as a comprehensive educational outreach mechanism to ensure the community knows the importance of the eradication of Purple Loosestrife.

Nevada

The Las Vegas Wash Coordination Committee, in partnership with Southern Nevada Water Authority, Mabel Hoggard Magnet School, Clark County School District, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Nevada Department of Forestry, and the National Park Service, proposes to restore four acres of deteriorated wetlands along the Las Vegas Wash during a volunteer planting event. The replanting event, which will occur in October-November of 2002, will not only help restore a wetland in an area of great need, but will provide an opportunity for students as well as volunteers from local organizations to participate directly in a major wetlands restoration effort and help educate them about the values of conservation and environmental stewardship. In conjunction with the replanting efforts, Mabel Hoggard students will produce transplantable emergent riparian plans from seeds and cuttings for the restoration of the Wash in their school nursery. The school site is based on an existing plant nursery program at Lake Mead National Recreation Area. The ongoing educational activities between Mabel Hoggard and other schools in the Las Vegas Valley are important foundations for building a community-wide commitment to the preservation and enhancement of these important natural areas.

New Jersey

Save Barnegat Bay will provide college students and recent graduates in the environmental science field with hands-on natural resource restoration experience through restoration activities in Barnegat Bay. These activities will focus on SAV mapping and restoration and dune grass and beach grass planting. Five Star funds will be used to determine the effectiveness of using municipal sewerage by-products on dune grass, and to determine the relation between soil qualities and eelgrass growth. Partners in this project include the USDA Natural Resource and Conservation Service, the New Jersey State Division of Wildlife, and the Barnegat Bay Estuary Program.

The Red Bank Borough Board of Education, along with the Red Bank Department of Public Works, the Monmouth County Mosquito Commission, Rutgers University, and the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission, are planning to implement the Red Bank Primary School Riparian Restoration Project. The project will create a living laboratory for students and community members by restoring 1000 feet of stream corridor using proven techniques such as bio-mats, bio-logs, and reinforced vegetation soil stabilization plantings. The project will increase access to open space and nature areas in Red Bank. The restoration site will become an outdoor classroom for both Red Bank Public School Students and the community as a whole. Partial funding for this project is provided by the NOAA Fisheries Community Based Restoration Program.

New Mexico

In the first phase of a four-phase project, the Sierra Soil and Water Conservation District (SSWCD) will control invasive and noxious species (primarily salt cedar) along the Rio Grande. SSWCD will plant native vegetation to improve the diversity of vegetation as well as the aquatic habitat for trout. Pools and other habitat enhancements will be constructed, and SSWCD will work with water management agencies to modify the water distribution and positively impact the river regime. The grantee will also implement an Education and Information program to increase public awareness regarding noxious weeds, native vegetation benefits, riparian area value, water conservation, and water quality. Native plant species will be planted by students from Hot Springs High School. Other partners include the County of Sierra, the City of Truth or Consequences, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Cooperative Extension Service, New Mexico Game and Fish, New Mexico State Highway Department, New Mexico State Parks Department, Jornada RC&D Council, and New Mexico Ranch Properties.

New York

The Westchester County Department of Planning is partnering with the New Rochelle departments of Parks and Public Works, Iona College and College of New Rochelle, Rye Board of Education, and Westchester County Soil and Water Conservation District to complete restoration activities at Echo Bay in Five Island Park and Blind Brook. Supervised by Westchester County Soil and Water Conservation staff, under the direction of the County Department of planning, students from local high schools and colleges will complete on the ground restoration of Echo Bay and Blind Brook. The addition of supplemental plantings, replacing of shrubs that have died, and elimination of invasive species will lead to improved species diversity and enhances wildlife habitat value. The additional plantings will also stabilize steep banks and improve water quality. Students participating in the projects will have a sense of pride and ownership of the restoration sites and the improved sites will act as an educational tool for the community as a whole. Partial funding for this project is provided by the NOAA Fisheries Community Based Restoration Program.

The Cornell Cooperative Extension Program will partner with Long Island Captains Association, Orient Historical Society, Orient/Greenport School, Southold Town Waterfront Revitalization Initiative and community volunteers from the SPAT program to restore the bay scallop to a formerly highly productive site in the Peconic Estuary. The objective of the project is to establish a designated spawner sanctuary in order to restore a healthy bay scallop population in the estuary. The proposed collaborative effort will enable the community to take part in spawning, growing and monitoring of 75,000 bay scallops. The partnership also intends to pursue this project as part of larger regional effort in shellfish restoration, water quality restoration and stewardship education. Funding for this project is provided by the NOAA Fisheries Community Based Restoration Program.

Ohio

An 1100 foot stream channel that is used as a storm water drainage channel will be restored into a fully functioning watercourse and headwater wetland, improving water quality and wildlife habitat. The channel runs through Stearns Farm Park and will serve as an outdoor educational laboratory where on-site interpretive information will explain the restoration features to be developed on the property. This is a keystone project for the Cuyahoga River Remedial Action Plan to help involve local officials to better understand and take measures to improve the water quality of the tributaries of the Cuyahoga River. Project partners include the West Creek Preservation Committee, City of Parma, Parma City Schools, Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, the Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society, Cuyahoga County Board of Health, Parma Area Historical Society, Boyas Excavating Co., Inc., Osterland Co., Inc.

Oregon

The Multnomah Education Service District will partner with the Alpha Conservation Corps of Alpha High School, Johnson Creek Watershed Council and the City of Gresham Parks Department to restore a portion of Johnson Creek, one of the Portland's last free-flowing creeks, for the benefit of fish and wildlife. The project will involve removal of invasive plants from the project site and replanting the site with native plants propagated in the Alpha High School greenhouse and local nurseries. Following the restoration efforts, Alpha High School students will provide education to neighboring primary and middle school students about watershed health and the work underway to improve the Johnson Creek riparian area. Partial funding for this project is provided by the NOAA Fisheries Community Based Restoration Program.

Mid Coast Watersheds Council will partner with Eddyville School to restored 3400 feet of riparian habitat along the main stem of the Yaquina River. Currently, this reach of the Yaquina River exhibits elevated summer temperatures and a lack of aquatic woody complexity, and the project aims to improve these habitat conditions for salmonids. The project will involve the removal of exotic plants and weeds and the planting of native trees, shrubs and wetland species. There will be coordination between Mid Coast Watersheds Council and Eddyville School to establish tree growth monitoring and interpretive activities for the students. Additionally, the teachers at Eddyville School will receive training to allow this project to continue in subsequent years. Partial funding for this project is provided by the NOAA Fisheries Community Based Restoration Program.

The Benton County Soil and Water Conservation District is partnering with the City of Corvallis, Oregon State University, the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, and the Natural Resource Conservation Service to complete Making Ripples: Community Building for Water Quality. The project is a coordinated community stewardship and educational program that utilizes local expertise and resources to improve wetlands, riparian zones, and wildlife habitat on school properties in urban and suburban streams. Making Ripples will provide an opportunity for local residents and students to learn about their streams and participate in watershed restoration activities in Benton County. Participants will "make a ripple" in broader statewide stream and salmon restoration efforts under the Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds, along with other County-wide efforts. Making Ripples will equip the citizens of Benton County to join in the effort to save salmon and protect against further pollution in local rivers and streams. Partial funding for this project is provided by the NOAA Fisheries Community Based Restoration Program.

Pennsylvania

Through reestablishment of a two-acre native riparian buffer strip along the Schuylkill River, regrading of streambanks, posting of signage for educational purposes, and temporary fencing, the Office of Watersheds at the Philadelphia Water Department proposes to improve both the water quality of the Schuylkill River and the aesthetics of an urban park area. By enhancing the riparian area and continuing to educate the public about the impact of feeding area geese, it is hoped that a large population of nonmigratory Canada Geese will relocate to other grounds where they will have a decreased impact on the drinking water intake area. Local university students will participate in the effort. Partners in this effort include the Fairmount Park Commission/NLREEP, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, Philadelphia University, and Drexel University. Funds will be used to purchase trees, shrubs, seeds, and other materials needed for the restoration project.

Williams/Transco, in collaboration with their project partners, will work to enhance to Mannix Farm wetland. Under the partnership between Williams/Transco, NRCS, the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Chester County Conservation District, plans have been developed to enhance the wooded wetland and expand the quarter acre pond. This expansion will provide shallow water habitat for birds and other wildlife. The enhancement of Mannix Farm will: increase the diversity of wildlife and quality of habitat on the farm; provide a demonstration area for other corporations interested in improving wildlife habitat and soil/water conservation; raise awareness about environmental protection issues; and will provide the local community with an educational resource. Boy Scout Troops 76 and 786 as well as Cub Pack 76 are putting up nesting boxes on the property and the Environmental Club of Great Valley High school will be monitoring the progress of this project as a model of corporate environmental responsibility.

Volunteers from the Lackawanna River Corridor Association and three other community organizations will plant native trees and herbaceous vegetation along 2,000 feet of Leggetts Creek in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The area to be restored is part of a former anthracite coal mine which is located on city property. Initial reclamation work at this site has been funded through Pennsylvania's Growing Greener grants program. The USDA Forest Service's Community Forestry Program will be providing funding for trees and shrubs. Partial funding for this project is provided by EPA's Chesapeake Bay Program.

The Township of Cheltenham, in partnership with: Friends of High School Park, Friends of Tookany Creek, Friends of Ralph Morgan, Glenside Green, EASI Senior Environmental, Philadelphia Earth Force, Philadelphia Suburban Water Company, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Montgomery County Conservation District has developed the Tookany Creek Park Streambank Restoration. The project will continue efforts to revitalize and restore one section of flood-ravaged Tookany Creek. Along with this comprehensive creekside restoration, the project will develop a watershed information and a training manual for middle school students about issues related to the Tookany Creek Watershed. Partial funding for this grant is provided by EPA Region III and Lockheed Martin Corporation.

South Carolina

Kiawah Island Community Association will restore estuarine habitat on Kiawah Island. The project will establish salt marsh vegetation, shoreline buffers, and oyster reefs. Results will be monitored using high school and community volunteers. This project will be a model for coastal lake management practices throughout the Southeast. All work will be coordinated with an ongoing project that links land uses of typical southeastern coastal development to estuarine water quality. Data will be entered into a GIS database and used to model the benefits and effects of restoration and develop a long-term management plan that could be implemented throughout the southeastern United States. Finally, assistance will be provided to homeowners on how to improve management of riparian land cover to reduce runoff and eutrophication of the ponds and ultimately the estuarine system. Partial funding for this project is provided by the NOAA Fisheries Community Based Restoration Program.

Tennessee

The Town of Jonesborough will restore approximately three acres of wetlands located in an area of Jonesborough dedicated to the historic preservation on the town. The town will also restore riparian buffers of Barkley Creek, which bisects the wetlands and is a major hydrological element of the site. The Town of Jonesborough will also utilize this area as a springboard for grassroots environmental protection efforts throughout the region. This project will include various partnerships including NRCS who will conduct soil surveys to determine appropriate sites for sensitive plants and animals. Several community organizations will provide volunteers and assist in public outreach efforts to teach the local community and visitors about the role wetlands play in aquatic conservation. Lastly, this site will become part of Tennessee's Lost State Scenic Walkways.

Texas

The Woodlands Community Association, in partnership with the Cochran's Crossing Village Association, the Native Plant Society of Texas, local schools and Eagle scouts, propose to restore marshland and stabilize shoreline adjacent to a pond within the development, introduce several species of fish into the pond, conduct educational programs on the site, and partner with community schools to create outreach programs for area children. Local schoolchildren will participate in cleanup activities near the pond and in the marsh area. Parks and Recreation Department staff will work with a local Eagle Scout to flag and remove invasive species, and the area will be monitored on a regular basis. Educational signs will be purchased and erected along a previously established trail, and a formal education program will developed by the Woodlands Community Association's Environmental Services Department in cooperation with local schools.

Concerned Citizens of Dallas, along with Dallas County Courts, the Dallas Challenge Truancy Center, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Fitness Intervention Technologies, and Texas Master Naturalists Association are implementing the Cedar Hill Site Restoration Project. The project will restore six acres of land to its native habitat and reach out to a diverse group of community members to show the importance of environmental awareness and protection. 240 local at risk youths assigned by the Dallas County Courts will participate in clearing invasive species and construct pools to increase the amphibian breeding in the area. They will work with environmental experts as well as other members of the community to learn how to be stewards of the land around them. Residents of Cedar Hill will be able to tour the newly restored site and know that the site was restored by at risk youth that have invested time and effort to lend to the benefit of the environment.

U.S. Virgin Islands

The Virgin Islands Marine Advisory Service (VIMAS) at the University of the Virgin Islands will provide elementary school children on St. John and St. Thomas islands with an opportunity to learn about the ecological and socio-economic values of mangrove ecosystems through interactive and critical thinking activities, targeted educational materials, and a workshop series/tour of the restoration area. As part of this project, mangrove seedlings will be propagated and monitored on Lameshur Bay. Schoolchildren will then have an opportunity to tour the areas and view the restoration in process; educational materials will be provided to the students in the form of comic and coloring books. The project is part of a larger effort initiated by the U.S. National Park Service. According to the Park Service, Lameshur Bay is considered to be the core area for the Virgin Islands Biosphere Preserve. The VIMAS, in partnership with the U.S. National Park Service, the Virgin Islands Environmental Resource Station, the Department of Education and local school districts, the Ocean Conservancy, and the University of Puerto Rico Sea Grant Program will partner together in this effort. Partial funding for this project is provided by the NOAA Fisheries Community Based Restoration Program.

Utah

TreeUtah will restore habitat for wildlife, particularly songbirds, along the Jordan River. This is TreeUtah's seventh year of working along the Jordan River, which bisects the rapidly sprawling suburban and urban development that spans the Salt Lake Valley and pours into the marshes of the Great Salt Lake. The goal of the Jordan River Project extends beyond traditional ecological restoration to the creation of habitat. TreeUtah is partnering with Utah Department of Natural Resources, the Alcoa Foundation, National Civilian Conservation Corps, University of Utah, and the Salt Lake County Americorp Program to introduce biologically diverse native vegetation to the undeveloped floodplain.

Virginia

The Wilderness Conservancy at Mountain Lake (WCML) will work to restore a one-acre wetland area, construct a wetlands interpretive trail, develop associated curriculum materials, and present workshops to both educators and landowners. Graduate students from the Virginia Tech Landscape Architecture Department will develop restoration plans in consultation with the Natural Resources Advisory Council of the WCML. Giles County Cooperative Extension and students from the Roanoke College Environment Program will assist with site preparation and planting. In this effort, the WCML will promote partnerships with Roanoke College Environment Program, Virginia Tech, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, the University of Virginia, and the Virginia Cooperative Extension.

Vermont

The Winooski Valley Park District (WVPD) will work to protect and restore Delta Park, a uniquely natural urban park joining the Winooski River with the highly productive Lake Champlain ecosystem. WVPD will involve Scout troops, other youth organizations, and community volunteers in educational programs and on-site activities focused on invasive plant removal. Biologists will also provide training to volunteers for turtle and bird monitoring to enable the park to determine the effect that increased visitation may have on sensitive species.

The Caledonia County Natural Resources Conservation District (NRDC) will partner with the Northeast Kingdom Conservation Service Corps, the Natural Conservation Service, US Fish & Wildlife Service, and the VT Agency of Transportation with the objective of restoring the natural riparian habitat along the Sleepers River of the Passumpsic River Basin in Vermont. The NRDC will reduce streambank erosion and plant a selection of native riparian trees, shrubs and willows to create a suitable habitat for several fish species including Atlantic salmon. The goal of the project is to establish a 100 foot riparian buffer zone along 2,800 feet of the river for an approximate total of 3 acres. Local youth services and outreach strategies will be utilized to accomplish this goal. Funding for this project is provided by the NOAA Fisheries Community Based Restoration Program.

Washington

The Thurston Conservation District, in partnership with the Thurston County Stream Team, Washington State Department of Transportation, Washington State University, Sound Native Plants Ecological Services, and National Tree Trust will implement the Percival Creek Corridor Project. The project will revegetate 1600 feet of the east side of Black Lake Ditch and educate teachers, students, and parents on land use practices that can help protect streams from stormwater runoff. At the completion of the Percival Creek Corridor Project - Phase 1, 400 trees will be planted. In order to connect with school children, a teacher training will be held to ensure that teachers accurately understand the link between land use and stream health, with emphasis on innovative land use practices. Thurston County Stream Team volunteers will monitor the planting site for quality control and aid the students in any additional information they may need. As a result of this project, a large number of school children and teachers will become stewards of the land and more fully understand the importance of land use planning. Funding for this project is provided by the NOAA Fisheries Community Based Restoration Program.

Columbia-Pacific Resource Conservation and Development will return a 1,000 foot section of Alder Creek to its original state to provide habitat for spawning and rearing Coho, Steelhead and Cutthroat Trout. This project involves the cooperative efforts of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Grays Harbor Conservation District and Grays Harbor College. The project will create meanders, riffles, in-stream structures and spawning pads in Alder Creek and plant native vegetation in the riparian corridor. The Model Watershed Project through Grays Harbor College will perform long-term monitoring and maintenance of the project using students enrolled in its Fisheries and Natural Resources classes. Partial funding for this project is provided by the NOAA Fisheries Community Based Restoration Program.

The Nisqually Reach Nature Center seeks to augment a pending estuarine habitat restoration project by expanding the scope of monitoring, involving volunteers in restoration and monitoring efforts, improving the science of the estuarine restoration, and incorporating coastal management projects into education programs. This project will involve the cooperation of the Nisqually Reach Nature Center, the Nisqually Indian Tribe, the Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team, and Washington Service Corps. The project will collect baseline data on migratory bird use of a diked upland located in an estuarine delta, augment data collection in the estuary to include non-salmonid fish and invertebrate use of the estuary, increase the opportunity for volunteers to participate in the estuarine restoration, and document findings of data collection and monitoring. NFWF funds will cover equipment and supplies necessary for restoration and monitoring and stipends for a student research intern. Partial funding for this project is provided by the NOAA Fisheries Community Based Restoration Program.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will partner with the USDA Forest Service and Tonasket High School to restore Jimmy's Meadows, a degraded, moist meadow wetland system that forms the upper reach of Cobey Creek on the Okanogan Wenatchee National Forest. Restoring the wetlands will raise the water table so that downstream fisheries will receive water delivery late in the year, bird habitat will be enhanced, and native riparian vegetation will replace introduced species. This project will involve high school students and increase student knowledge of meadow and upland restoration processes. Monitoring of the project will ensure that desired results are accomplished.

Wisconsin

The Sauk County Land Conservation Department, in cooperation with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Reedsberg High School, as well as various other associations and foundations to complete the Sauk County Wetland/Prairie Restoration Project. Sauk County has gathered a broad and diverse group of partners to restore 30 acres of wetlands and waterfowl nesting habitat. Local volunteer and students will plant native wetland species and use domestic Wisconsin seed varieties coupled with seed diversity that will ensure a healthy and active prairie area. Structures will also be installed to aid in providing a habitat for fish that are native to the region. After completion, the restoration site will be used by local elementary and high schools as well as community members to provide an outdoor laboratory and learning center.

Wyoming

Teton County Weed and Pest will work with Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming Game and Fish, Teton Conservation District, Jackson Hole Land Trust and Bridger-Teton National Forest to control noxious weed infestation and restore the Snake River Corridor in Teton County. The Snake River Project will help facilitate the removal of noxious weeds and the restoration of native vegetation within the Snake River Corridor in Teton County, Wyoming. The first of the two major objectives will be weed control and vegetation restoration accomplished by local government agencies and community "weed pulls." The second objective will be educating the public on the importance of noxious weed control and native vegetation. Signage, presentation sessions, and an informational website are also designed to engage the public in the importance of this project.

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