California funds 15 projects with $44 million to protect forests, desert and Tribal land

Beaver Valley Headwaters Preserve in Siskiyou County, Calif. California’s Wildlife Conservation Board has approved $43.868 million in grants for 15 projects across 11 counties. The projects will support Tribal land acquisition, salmon habitat restoration, public access and protection of wildlife corridors.According to California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the funding includes $32 million in climate bond money spread across nine projects. Among the projects is an $11.5 million grant to acquire about 14,177 acres near Callahan in Siskiyou County. Another $7.5 million grant will help buy about 1,093 acres near Yucca Grove in San Bernardino County, while a $700,000 grant will support the purchase of an 80-acre property in Lake County.The projects cover different types of landscapes and conservation work. They include mountain forests, salmon streams, meadows, desert habitat and land connected to Indigenous communities. The Wildlife Conservation Board said the grants support efforts to protect biodiversity and help ecosystems and communities adapt to climate change.14,177 acres to expand forest preserveThe largest land acquisition listed in the announcement will expand the Beaver ...