The Mid-Barataria sediment diversion plan proposes investing up to $2 billion into a large-scale project to reconnect the Mississippi River to Louisiana’s Barataria Basin. The project will release freshwater, nutrients, and sediment back into the basin to rebuild thousands of acres of wetlands and restore the basin’s ecosystem. The plan is open for public comment until May 4, 2021. Contact: Mel Landry

NOAA has announced the availability of up to $1 million in funding in 2021 for projects to restore habitat for Atlantic salmon in the Gulf of Maine region. The Gulf of Maine distinct population segment of Atlantic salmon is a federally-listed endangered species and a NOAA Species in the Spotlight. Proposals for this funding opportunity are due April 12, 2021. Contact: Natalie McLenaghan

Through a new Notice of Funding Opportunity, the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office intends to award up to $250,000 for research exploring links between changing Chesapeake Bay conditions, fish species, and their habitats. NOAA is interested in proposals that focus on key fishery species such as striped bass and summer flounder. Funding will also be available to improve social science around fisheries and habitat, focusing on quantifying the role of nearshore habitat for local communities and fisheries in the Middle Peninsula area of Virginia, where habitat conservation and shoreline restoration efforts are underway. Deadline for application is April 26, 2021. Contact: Kim Couranz

NOAA and our partners work to restore habitat in the Great Lakes region to support the fish, ecosystems, and communities that rely on these important natural resources. Learn about a few key numbers that help illustrate the scope of our habitat restoration work in the region through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Contact: Julie Sims

Despite challenges due to the pandemic, NOAA and partners have continued large-scale restoration projects in Maryland and Virginia. In 2020, oyster restoration was completed in two Chesapeake Bay tributaries. Partners in the Chesapeake Bay Program’s effort to restore oyster reefs in 10 tributaries by 2025 planted a whopping 164 million juvenile oysters. Contact: Kim Couranz

2021 marks 30 years of NOAA’s Damage Assessment, Remediation, and Restoration Program working to hold polluters accountable for the impacts of oil spills, hazardous waste, and ship groundings in waterways. All year we will be commemorating the accomplishments of the past 30 years. Follow NOAA Clean Coasts on Facebook and NOAA Habitat on Twitter to stay up-to-date on our Campaign! Contact: Megan Ewald

The United Nations has entered an exciting decade of focusing on marine and other important ecosystems, and the services they provide. The UN has declared 2021 to 2030 both the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and the Decade on Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. NOAA views coral reef restoration as a critical activity in addressing both of these topics and we will continue to fund, research, and conduct the latest coral restoration techniques to maintain viable coral reef ecosystems.

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, in partnership with NOAA, released a request for proposals for the FY2021 National Coastal Resilience Fund. Funded projects will restore, increase, and strengthen natural infrastructure—the landscapes that help absorb the impacts of storms and floods—to ultimately protect coastal communities and enhance fish and wildlife habitat. This year the fund will invest approximately $33 million in these projects. Pre-proposals are due April 7. Applicants invited to submit a full proposal will have a June 23 deadline. There will be a pre-proposal webinar on March 10.

In recognition of Women’s History Month, we’re honoring a few notable NOAA women with careers tied to ocean science. While this list is by no means comprehensive, it pays homage to some of the women who defied social convention and paved the way for scientists, regardless of their gender, to protect, study, and explore the ocean and ocean life.

NOAA is launching an agency-wide effort to gather initial public input on Section 216(c) of the Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad. This section directs NOAA to collect recommendations on how to make fisheries, including aquaculture, and protected resources more resilient to climate change. We invite your input on how best to achieve these objectives by April 2, 2021.

We will be celebrating #MarshMadness the week March 22- 26 on social media and keeping a close eye on our brackish areas. Follow along @NOAAHabitat!

On March 25th at 1:00PM EST join Restore America’s Estuaries to learn about the Coastal Restoration Toolkit and how it can help you improve habitat, water quality, and resiliency in your local community.