In late 2022, the Board of California‘s State Coastal Conservancy approved over $60 million in grants for restoration, protection, public access, and wildfire and climate resilience along the California coast and San Francisco Bay.
Included in the approvals were:
- $20 million to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the Bel Marin Keys Unit V expansion of the Hamilton Wetland Restoration Project in Marin County.
- $14 million for a number of Wildfire Resilience projects throughout the state.
- $1,098,500 to three nonprofit organizations, one tribe, and two public entities for six Coastal Stories projects. This is a new Conservancy program that supports storytelling installations or interpretive materials that represent diverse communities and perspectives that historically have been excluded from narratives of California’s coast and publicly accessible lands.
- Over $9 million for 73 new and renewing Explore the Coast projects to facilitate and enhance the public’s opportunities to explore the California coast.
NORTH COAST
- A grant of up to $248,915 to the Tomales Bay Watershed Council Foundation to prepare designs, permit applications, and environmental review documents for a one-acre tidal wetland enhancement project at Tomales Bay, Marin County.
- A grant of up to $845,000 to the Westport Village Society for acquisition of the 26-acre DeHaven Creek Headlands property for cultural resources protection; open space protection; protection, enhancement, and restoration of natural resources and habitat; and public access and beach recreation compatible with such uses; and preparation of a resource management plan for the property, located in coastal Mendocino County.
- A grant of $1,500,000 to the City of Healdsburg to construct the public access improvements described in the Fitch Mountain Park and Open Space Preserve Management Plan in Healdsburg, Sonoma County.
- A grant of up to $250,000 to the County of Sonoma to develop a plan for a climate adaptation center at the former Sonoma Developmental Center, Sonoma County.
SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
- A grant of up to $3,570,000 to the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission to implement Bay Adapt Joint Platform tasks and actions related to: (1) development of Regional Sea Level Rise Adaptation Guidance; (2) regulatory improvements; and (3) continued coordination with stakeholders and communities.
- A grant of up to $2,160,000 to the Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District to restore and enhance approximately 40 acres of wetland habitat and improve public access at Stivers Lagoon, adjacent to Lake Elizabeth in the City of Fremont, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
- Authorization to enter into an amended Project Cooperation Agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and to disburse up to $20,000,000 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the Bel Marin Keys Unit V expansion of the Hamilton Wetland Restoration Project in Marin County.
- A grant of up to $700,000 to the City of San Rafael to conduct a community-informed technical feasibility study of sea level rise adaptation options along the shoreline of the City of San Rafael, Marin County with emphasis on involvement of the Canal District communities.
- A grant of up to $396,200 to San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory to rehabilitate a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service nursery in the City of Fremont and to grow and prepare the native plants and seeds necessary for revegetation of 17 acres of flood risk management levee that will be constructed as part of the South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Projectin Santa Clara County.
- Authorization for the Association of Bay Area Governments to disburse up to $366,250 of previously-granted Conservancy funds to the City of Vallejo to complete full final design and engineering documents for the approximately two-mile segment of Bay Trail and Ridge Trail at Vallejo Bluff in Vallejo, and the adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
- A grant of up to $1,200,000 to the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council for planning for future Bay Area Ridge Trail projects, and to conduct public engagement and outings for underrepresented trail users.
CENTRAL COAST
- A grant of up to $440,000 to the City of Pacifica to prepare plans, environmental review documents, and permit applications for two bluff protection structures to protect City-owned infrastructure along Esplanade Avenue in northern Pacifica, San Mateo County.
- A grant of up to $260,000 to the Western Flyer Foundation to restore the Western Flyer boat for the purpose of marine education and exploration on Monterey Bay.
- A grant of up to $508,000 to the Santa Cruz Hostel Society to plan and implement renovations to the Santa Cruz Hostel in the City of Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County.
- A grant of up to $1,000,000 to the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County to acquire the 2,613-acre Rocks Ranch property for natural resource protection and restoration; wildlife connectivity; open space; and to the extent compatible with the foregoing, agricultural preservation, tribal access, and potentially public access, located at the northern tip of the Gabilan Range in Monterey and San Benito Counties.
- A grant of up to $590,000 to the County of Santa Cruz to prepare final plans and construct a new restroom at Hidden Beach County Park.
SOUTH COAST
- A grant of up to $3,000,000 to the County of San Bernardino to augment an existing Conservancy grant authorized on January 29, 2015, to construct a 3.8-mile segment of the Santa Ana River Trail in San Bernardino County.
- Designation of The Nature Conservancy as the long-term management entity for the Santa Clara River properties acquired with Coastal Conservancy funding since 2001 and approve the revised Enhancement Plan as an amendment to the Santa Clara River Conceptual Enhancement Plan adopted by the Conservancy on October 26, 2000.
- A grant of up to $41,500 to the Council for Watershed Health for permitting for, and implementation of a portion of, an Arundo donax eradication program in the Upper Los Angeles River Watershed in Los Angeles County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
STATEWIDE
- A grant of up to $1,098,500 to three nonprofit organizations, one tribe, and two public entities for six Coastal Stories projects to create storytelling installations or interpretive materials that represent diverse communities and perspectives that historically have been excluded from narratives of California’s coast and publicly accessible lands.
- A grant of up to $3,301,005 to nonprofit organizations and public agencies for 31 projects that facilitate and enhance the public’s opportunities to explore the California coast. Participants are drawn from throughout the State and will visit coastal locations from Del Norte County south to San Diego County.
- A grant of up to $6,061,729 to augment 42 Explore the Coast grants to nonprofit organizations and public agencies to extend previously authorized projects to facilitate and enhance the public’s opportunities to explore the California coast. Participants are drawn from throughout the State and will visit coastal locations from Del Norte County south to San Diego County.
WILDFIRE RESILIENCE PROGRAM
- A grant of up to $10,996,600 to nonprofit organizations, public agencies, a tribe, and one consultant for 27 wildfire resilience projects.
- A grant of up to $1,080,000 to Mid peninsula Regional Open Space District to reduce wildland vegetation fuels on approximately 200 acres, purchase equipment for use in reducing wildland vegetation fuels, refine existing prescribed fire plan and conduct associated environmental review, and build staff capacity to implement their Wildland Fire Resiliency Program.
- A grant of up to $1,000,000 to the East Bay Regional Park District to conduct fuel treatments on 80 acres and implement a biomass facility pilot program in Anthony Chabot Regional Park.
- A grant of up to $750,000 to San Diego Canyonlands for fire fuel reduction, including removal of brush, dead trees, and invasive vegetation, in the brush management zones of seven canyons within the underserved communities along the Chollas Creek corridor in Southeast San Diego and the neighborhood of City Heights in the city of San Diego, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
- A grant of up to $175,200 to the Humboldt County Resource Conservation District to complete Phase 1 of the Redway Shaded Fuel Break Project, a forest health and wildlife risk reduction project located along the eastern edge of Redway in southern Humboldt County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
Photo of Point Lobos State Natural Reserve in California by Simon from Pixabay.