July 28, 2023

Wyden, Merkley: Coos County to Receive Federal Grant to Conserve & Restore South Slough

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that Coos County will share in $2 million in federal grants to conserve and restore habitats in the South Slough.

“Research is a crucial first step toward healing marine ecosystems from the harm done by the climate crisis,” Wyden said. “I am gratified to see funding go toward conservation, especially incorporating strategies long-used by the Tribes that have inhabited this land since time immemorial to promote stabilization of species indigenous to the slough and crucial to our coastal ecosystems.”

“As climate chaos intensifies, we must do everything we can to protect and conserve valuable wetlands and watersheds and the species that call Oregon home,” Merkley said. “This funding will help ensure the South Slough is protected and enhanced to continue to provide environmental benefits to the region for years to come.” 

NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management chose 17 projects at 27 reserve sites to receive federal grants totaling more than $2 million for a year. Projects will tackle a range of practical, pressing coastal issues, including understanding the role salt marshes play in mitigating climate change; evaluating oyster reefs as habitats; exploring applications of Indigenous knowledge and management practices to enhance stewardship of estuary habitats and coastal watersheds; enhancing science literacy; and addressing invasive species.

See a list and map of the new projects, including a summary of each project (PDF)

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