$20 Million in 2020 NOAA Funding Recommended for Great Lakes Habitat Restoration
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Investments in Great Lakes habitat restoration will benefit local economies, strengthen healthy ecosystems and fisheries, and support resilient communities.
Restoration work underway at Howard Marsh in Lucas County, Ohio. (Photo: Metroparks Toledo)
NOAA Fisheries is recommending nearly $20 million in Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding. It will support new and existing multi-year partnerships to implement seven projects to restore shoreline, fish passage, and wetlands. These efforts will restore habitat and improve resilience in degraded Great Lakes ecosystems.
As the largest freshwater system on earth, the Great Lakes are one of the most important natural resources in the world. They serve as important economic resources, supporting industry, transportation, commercial and recreational fishing, and tourism. This funding will help strengthen valuable fisheries and coastal resources and restore the coastal wetlands that improve the quality of our water. They will also provide recreational opportunities and enjoyment for all.
Specifically, recommended projects will open river systems to fish passage, reconnect rivers to their floodplains, and restore and enhance river, stream, and wetland habitats. Several recommended projects will contribute to ongoing activities to restore “toxic hotspots” known as Areas of Concern within the Great Lakes basin.
READ MORE at noaa.gov
