State officials on Tuesday announced $6 million in grants for cranberry bog and coastal wetland restoration projects to help rebuild biodiversity in Massachusetts.
The grants from by the Department of Fish and Game’s Division of Ecological Restoration will help 12 communities “increase resilience to climate change for people and nature, restore crucial wildlife habitat, and improve water quality,” Gov. Maura Healey said in a statement on Tuesday.
“Coastal resilience is a top priority for the Healey-Driscoll Administration. Nature-based solutions like these are important for our coastal communities as they adapt to sea-level rise, stronger storms, flooding, and erosion,” state EEA Secretary Rebecca Tepper said in a statement. “We are excited to support projects that not only restore ecosystems but also prepare us for the impacts of climate change. These initiatives will enhance our ability to store and sequester carbon with nature and help us meet our net-zero goals.”
“With each of these projects, we will heal our ecosystems from human impacts, knit together disconnected habitats and enhance resilience, and support imperiled species, like the salt marsh sparrow,” DFG Commissioner Tom O’Shea said in a statement. “We are excited to support these on-the-ground efforts by municipalities and non-profit partners toward our shared goals to halt and reverse biodiversity loss and create resilient communities for future generations.”