The University of Georgia will receive $8.8 million over three years to support farmers across the Southeast in restoring streams and rivers through the Working Lands for Wildlife Southern Waters Framework.
The initiative brings together the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, the Odum School of Ecology, and the College of Engineering, along with the River Basin Center and the Institute for Resilient Infrastructure Systems.
Teams of wildlife biologists and engineers will work directly with landowners to improve water quality and aquatic ecosystems. Efforts include streambank restoration, better grazing and crop management, and invasive species control.
The program will also coordinate with local U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service offices to access federal funding for conservation improvements.
Nearly two dozen specialists will be deployed across the region to address erosion, habitat degradation, and other challenges on working lands, expanding conservation support for rural communities and ecosystems.
