Grants to buoy species protections

More than $24 million in grants will be allocated to habitat acquisition and conservation efforts in California, including a project for Yuba and Sutter counties.

The funding through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund (CESCF) will “support conservation planning and acquisition of vital habitat for threatened and endangered fish, wildlife and plants, and help local California governments expand their environmental programs,” according to a press release from the federal agency.

The work is accomplished through partnerships among private landowners and the state, conservation groups, and other agencies.

In nearby Yuba and Sutter counties, funding will go toward conservation plans designed to protect and enhance the ecological diversity amidst the urbanization of both counties. The plans aim to protect 23 species, including Hartweg’s golden sunburst, vernal-pool fairy shrimp, vernal-pool tadpole shrimp, giant garter snake (pictured), and the western yellow-billed cuckoo.