Napa County, CA - Following the grant award recommendation meeting of the Wildlife Conservation Commission (WCC) on August 14, 2023, Napa County has granted a total of $59,520 to eight organizations as part of the 2023-2024 WCC grant cycle.
These grants will support a range of impactful projects, with a strong focus on environmental education, wildlife rehabilitation, habitat restoration and wildlife research:
- American Canyon Community & Parks Foundation has been granted $10,500 award to facilitate the comprehensive implementation of the third Watershed Explorers program. This expansion includes an additional hands-on learning day for each student and a capstone restoration project during Watershed Month in May. This initiative primarily benefits fourth-grade students in American Canyon schools.
- Napa Wildlife Rescue has been awarded $12,500, which will support the hiring of a full-time education assistant/wildlife rehabilitation technician. The role will serve a dual purpose: educating children in Napa County schools and managing the inventory of educational materials for the classroom. Additionally, it will provide training for volunteers and appropriate care for injured or diseased wildlife patients at their facility in Napa County.
- Land Trust of Napa County will receive an $8,500 grant to bolster their ongoing efforts in the restoration of a half-mile stretch of riparian habitat along Conn Creek near Linda Falls in Angwin. This habitat has been under restoration for nine years, and the funds will be used to hire conservation crews and expand the area under restoration while addressing invasive species.
- Napa-Solano Audubon Society is the recipient of a $7,500 grant award. This grant will support one part-time education coordinator and one part-time coordinator or college intern to expand outreach and implement classroom education programs for middle and high school students. Furthermore, it will support the training of additional volunteer teams to extend their service to more students and the community. Additionally, the grant will facilitate the organization’s Citizen Science projects for the 2023-2024 school year.
- Napa County Resource Conservation District will utilize a $5,500 grant to enhance the Kids for Monarchs environmental education program, extending its reach to first through third grade classes throughout Napa County. The program will include class visits, field trips, and the implementation of pollinator planting projects and community education initiatives in collaboration with partners.
- A $5,170 grant award has been allocated to support the University of California Cooperative Extension Human-Wildlife Interactions Advisor with the Napa American Kestrel Nest Box Initiative. This initiative will involve collaborative efforts with private and public land managers to establish a network of new and existing American Kestrel nest boxes. Additionally, it will involve the collection of long-term data on Kestrel occupancy and productivity across various landscape features in Napa County.
- Carolyn Parr Nature Center will benefit from a $5,000 grant, which will be utilized for the restoration, expansion and interpretation of Napa Natives Garden, as well as Spanish translation, audio integration, and upgrades to interior exhibits, and the funding for free public events and outreach program materials and design.
- Finally, International Bird Rescue will receive a $4,850 grant to further its mission of rescuing and rehabilitating aquatic birds from Napa County.
Since 2002, the Napa County Wildlife Conservation Commission has provided funding exceeding $968,000 for projects that champion wildlife rehabilitation, environmental education, habitat restoration, wildlife research and land acquisition. The funding for WCC grants is sourced from the Department of Fish and Wildlife court fines and settlements, local fines and settlements designated for this specific purpose, and contributions from the Napa County General Fund.
The Napa County Wildlife Conservation Commission (WCC) is an eight-member commission that advises the Napa County Board of Supervisors on funding proposals that preserve and enhance Napa County wildlife and their habitats, pursuant to California Fish and Game Code §13103.
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