$6.9 million awarded to partners for Chesapeake Bay watershed conservation

Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, announced $6.9 million in funding from the Chesapeake Watershed Investments in Landscape Defense (Chesapeake WILD) Program to support 33 partner-led conservation projects in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The grants will generate $6 million in matching contributions, resulting in a total investment of nearly $13 million in strategic conservation to support fish and wildlife habitats, community partnerships, resilience to natural disasters, and public access to recreational opportunities.

This year, Chesapeake WILD is investing more than $2 million in 11 projects that focus on collaborative conservation and partnership building - a new funding track established to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of conservation delivery across the watershed.

All 33 projects contribute to shared conservation outcomes for state and Regional Species of Greatest Conservation Need, including habitat restoration, conservation and connection.

Collectively, the projects supported by the Chesapeake WILD program in 2025 will:

• Assess barriers to movement for fish and other aquatic organisms in 100 key habitat areas
• Protect 817 acres of habitat, for a total of 19,000 acres conserved through Chesapeake WILD to date
• Enhance management and stewardship planning on 50,000 acres
• Create 87 jobs

Driven by local and regional partners - including state fish and wildlife agencies, tribal nations, local communities, and conservation collaboratives - these investments will benefit the millions of people who rely on the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries for outdoor recreation, jobs, and clean drinking water, and the hundreds of species of native fish and wildlife that make their homes in the six-state watershed.

The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States and home to thousands of species of plants and animals. Nearly one million waterfowl winter on and near the bay each year - approximately one-third of the Atlantic Coast's migratory population. More than 18 million people live and work in the Chesapeake Bay region, many depending on industries tied to the health of the watershed, including outdoor recreation, farming and fishing.

Chesapeake WILD was established to support collaborative conservation in the watershed and provide grant funding for community-driven projects that align with five interrelated focal areas for sustaining the health of the watershed and its inhabitants into the future:

• Conserving and restoring imperiled fish and wildlife habitats
• Enhancing readiness for and resilience to natural disasters
• Building community partnerships and conservation capacity
• Increasing public access for recreation
• Improving water quality

The Service partners with NFWF to deliver the Chesapeake WILD grant program as part of the Foundation's broader Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund, a portfolio of competitive grant programs helping to restore and protect the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

You can see the full list of 2025 Chesapeake WILD grants here . Examples of this year's grant awards include:

• Tioga County Soil and Water Conservation District ($500,000) will collaborate with farmers, agricultural experts, water quality specialists, and other partners to support voluntary adoption of best management practices for agriculture and water quality throughout New York's Unadilla River Valley. (NY)
• Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources ($500,000) will restore connectivity on Drury Run in the West Branch of the Susquehanna River to benefit brook trout and other aquatic species. (PA)
• Upstream Alliance ($75,000) will collaborate with the Accohannock Indian Tribe of Maryland to develop a plan for protecting priority wildlife and to design a community center that preserves heritage. (MD)
• Shenandoah National Park Trust ($200,000) will expand strategic land conservation efforts surrounding Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to link the park with other regional conservation efforts. (VA)
• The Potomac Conservancy ($500,000) will conserve 300 acres of floodplain and forest habitat in Berkeley County, West Virginia, to protect water quality and wildlife habitat for federally protected species and state Regional Species of Greatest Conservation Need. (WV)

Chesapeake WILD is now accepting applications for its 2026 grant program. Proposals are due on Thursday, April 9, 2026. To learn more and apply, visit: Chesapeake WILD | NFWF.