SACRAMENTO – California State Parks announced last week the selection of 26 local park projects that will receive grants totaling $4.1 million from the California Habitat Conservation Fund (HCF) Grant Program, including one in Watsonville and two others in Santa Cruz County.
This competitive program, funded by the California Wildlife Protection Act of 1990 (Proposition 117), provides assistance to local agencies for the protection, restoration and enhancement of wildlife habitat to maintain California’s quality of life.
The City of Watsonville will receive $52,600 to restore and enhance approximately one acre of wetlands for the Upper Struve Slough Habitat Restoration.
In addition, the City of Santa Cruz will receive $200,000 to replace approximately 480 feet of boardwalk trail and interpretive signage at the Neary Lagoon Wildlife Refuge Interpretive Trail, as well as $205,750 to restore approximately 40,287 square feet of riparian habitat, including removal and replacement of non-native plants with native plants, fencing and interpretive signage for Riparian Restoration at Soquel Creek.
Other counties selected to receive grants are Alameda, Contra Costa, Humboldt, Los Angeles, Orange County, Riverside County, San Diego, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Sonoma, Ventura and Yolo.
California State Parks’ Office of Grants and Local Services (OGALS) develops grant programs to provide funding statewide for local, state and nonprofit organization projects. Since 1964, more than 7,400 local parks throughout California have been created or improved through OGALS’ grant funding.
Since 2000, OGALS has administered approximately $3 billion in grant funding throughout California.
For more information about the Habitat Conservation Fund Program and other grant programs administered by the Office of Grants and Local Services, please visit parks.ca.gov/grants. California State Parks is also on Facebook.
