PRESS RELEASE: Announcement – New Funding Available to Restore and Protect Wetlands to Benefit Great Salt Lake Hydrology
Salt Lake City – The Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands (FFSL) and the Great Salt Lake Watershed Enhancement Trust (the Trust) are excited to announce that up to $6.5 million in grant funding is available to eligible organizations with projects that will protect and/or restore wetlands and habitats in Great Salt Lake’s surrounding ecosystems to benefit the hydrology of Great Salt Lake.
Of the available funding, $1.5 million will be provided through the Trust, which awarded $8.5 million in funding in 2023 to eight projects that are currently in process. The additional $5 million will be funded through Forestry, Fire and State Lands, which received funding from the Utah legislature in 2024 to support wetland protection/restoration projects in the Great Salt Lake region.
“The Trust is excited to collaborate with the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, in announcing a round of funding to protect and restore Great Salt Lake’s wetlands and habitats. Healthy wetlands and improved water management at the interface of these habitats and the lake are essential for the lake’s hydrology and the well-being of the overall ecosystem. This funding opportunity builds on the more than $8.5 million awarded by the Trust in 2023 for projects to improve and protect some 13,000 acres of wetlands, benefiting these irreplaceable ecosystems.” said Marcelle Shoop, Executive Director of the Great Salt Lake Watershed Enhancement Trust.
The Trust is managed by National Audubon Society’s Saline Lakes Program and The Nature Conservancy. The Trust and FFSL will work together on the coordination of the grant application and awarding process.
“Restoring the wetlands around the Great Salt Lake is vital for the conservation of the lake and is a main point of interest for FFSL,” said Ben Stireman, Deputy Director for Lands and Minerals for the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands. “These wetlands play an important role in the lake’s ecosystem. Through the additional funding received in the last legislative session we continue to prioritize projects that will lead to a healthier lake. Leveraging our partnership with the Trust will help us put more funding on the ground for projects that benefit GSL.”
Projects will be selected after a thorough process of eligibility review and scoring by a Technical Review Committee comprised of Great Salt Lake ecosystem experts. The Trust’s nine-member Trust Advisory Council , which plays an important role in helping set the strategic direction of the Trust, will make recommendations for final award decisions, incorporating the evaluation and scoring from the Technical Review Committee. If any of the Advisory Council members represent an organization or agency that submits an application, then that member will be recused from the decision on that specific project. Final decisions for the awards from the $5 million from the 2024 legislative session will be made by FFSL leadership. Final decisions for the $1.5 million of Trust funding will be made by the Advisory Council.
Eligible applicants include state, local, or municipal government entities, tribal governments, and nonprofit organizations. Private landowners, private entities, or institutions of higher education are eligible if working in partnership with a public/governmental entity or a non-profit organization.
Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. MDT on October 1, 2024.
Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands - https://ffsl.utah.gov/
Great Salt Lake Watershed Enhancement Trust - https://www.gslwatertrust.org/
This funding opportunity has specific project eligibility requirements and scoring criteria. For more information visit https://www.gslwatertrust.org/wetland-grants
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Media Contacts:
Shaela Adams, Great Salt Lake Watershed Enhancement Trust
shaela.adams@audubon.org; 385-355-4340
Karl Hunt, Forestry, Fire and State Lands
kthunt@utah.gov; 385-249-6696
