Bull kelp forests, one of Earth’s most productive and biodiverse habitats, are in decline globally. Off the coast of Northern California, NOAA and partners are embarking on a critical mission to restore bull kelp in the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. NOAA’s Office of Habitat Conservation awarded the Greater Farallones Association $4.9 million through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act for this effort. Contact: Natalie C-Manning.

Thanks to $1.3 million in NOAA Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act funding, young Puerto Ricans are helping to restore hurricane-damaged ecosystems as members of the BoriCorps. A Conservation Corps created by Franklin's Promise Coalition, BoriCorps serves a three-fold purpose. Corps members help restore the island’s environmental and cultural assets and volunteer in hard-hit local communities. They also gain valuable paid work experience and connections to possible future employers, something many young Puerto Ricans struggle to find. Contact: Michael Nemeth.

While players dueled it out on the court, we kept score of all the ways marsh habitat plays an important role in the protection and restoration work we do for communities, fish, and wildlife. NOAA took a court-side look at how we protect and restore marsh habitat to sustain fisheries, recover protected species, and maintain resilient coastal ecosystems and communities. Contact: Kim Couranz.

In 2010, more than 770 square miles of mesophotic and deep-sea habitats were injured by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. In 2023, NOAA, the Department of the Interior, and partners completed a second year of expeditions to better understand and restore these ecosystems through four collaborative projects  through eight scientific expeditions across the Gulf of Mexico.  Contact: Laurie Rounds.

State and federal Trustee agencies have released the Final Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment to restore bird and shoreline habitat resources in Buzzards Bay impacted by the 2003 Bouchard Barge 120 oil spill. Ram Island roseate and common terns were severely impacted by heavy oiling and subsequent cleanup activities resulting from the spill. More than $19 million in damages were awarded through multiple settlements with responsible parties–more than $5 million of which was designated to restore the injuries to Ram Island shoreline and terns. Contact: Jim Turek.

Wildlife, fish passage, and communities are strengthened through partnerships and restoration efforts in Topsfield, Massachusetts. To achieve maximum restoration benefits, partners match municipal and grassroots efforts to funding sources and leverage partnership connections. The restoration and stewardship of the pond fostered a stronger community.

A new video from the NOAA Bay Watershed Education and Training Program highlights grantee Arlington (Virginia) Public Schools. School district leaders, teachers, and facilities managers describe how they have embedded systemic Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences into the curriculum, developed an Environmental Literacy Plan, and created a culture of sustainability and environmental literacy throughout the district. The video also includes time with a NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office education expert.

Conservation partners, including NOAA Fisheries, have created new guidelines for monitoring fish and habitat in wetlands throughout the San Francisco Bay Estuary. They will improve scientific understanding and apply lessons learned to make future restoration even more successful and cost-effective.

Do you know someone who has demonstrated exceptional achievement and dedication to marine, coastal, or riverine habitat conservation? Nominate them for the 2024 Dr. Nancy Foster Habitat Conservation Award to be presented at the Restore America’s Estuaries 2024 Coastal & Estuarine Summit in October. Nomination packages are due by June 1.