Aldergrove Marsh project site after project completion.

The Arcata Habitat Restoration Program is comprised of staff with expertise in habitat restoration and conservation that work together with local entities and landowners to identify, restore, and protect valuable native habitats along the north coast of California. We work closely with our partners to develop and design projects, provide technical assistance, and secure funding. We use several local Service funding programs to implement smaller restoration projects or as cost-share on larger projects.

Funding Resources

We have several local and regional Service funding sources available to our partners for restoration projects. From developing estuarine restoration plans to restoring riparian corridors, we work with our partners to determine the proper funding source and help to develop a successful project.

Our Restoration staff oversees and manages two local funding programs. We work closely with local partners to develop partnerships and projects that address landscape-level restoration objectives. All funding determinations are made by Arcata Restoration staff.

Local Funding Programs

  • Coastal Program at Humboldt Bay
Excavator removing invasive vegetation from Aldergrove Marsh.

The mission of The Coastal Program at Humboldt Bay is to conserve coastal ecosystems for the benefit of fish, wildlife, and coastal communities. The mission is accomplished through community-based partnerships focused on restoration and protection of native coastal habitats from the California-Oregon border to the Mattole River. The Humboldt Bay coastal region was one of two new priority areas selected nationally in 2005 by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) to receive funds. Currently there are 22 priority coastal ecosystems in the United States identified by the Service to receive these funds. The Coastal Program at Humboldt Bay provides financial and technical assistance for a variety restoration and conservation work. Restoration staff in the Conservation Partnerships (CP) Program at the Arcata Fish and Wildlife Office work closely with local partners to identify, develop, and implement projects that meet Coastal Program goals.

Links for partners or partnerships we are involved with:

  1. The Coastal Program National Website
  2. Humboldt Bay Initiative
  3. California Estuary Research Society
  4. Estuary Research Federation
  5. California Coastal Conservancy
  6. Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District
  7. California Sea-Grant
  8. Cal Poly Humboldt Telonicher Marine Laboratory

Cost-sharing and technical assistance for on-the-ground habitat restoration projects on private and tribal lands.

Other funding programs:

  1. National Fish Passage Program
  2. National Coastal Wetland Grants
  3. Tribal Wildlife Grants Program
  4. North American Wetlands Conservation Act

Technical Assistance

Restoration work in Salmon Creek.

Our team offers various types of technical assistance to local entities and landowners. We assist in developing landscape-level restoration objectives, specific restoration projects, and technical expertise in designing specific project components. Examples may include design for replacement or removal of stream crossings (such as culverts and tide gates), restoring stream channel morphology, and designs for riparian riparian
Definition of riparian habitat or riparian areas.

Learn more about riparian
and wetland restoration. We work closely with Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge staff and often combine our expertise with theirs in providing technical assistance to the coastal community.

Technical Assistance means helping our partners with:

  • Project development and design (including technical and conceptual work)
  • Locating additional funding sources
  • Grant writing
  • Development of pre- and post-project monitoring plans and strategies
  • Conduct site visits with project partners
  • Meet with landowners
  • Complying with federal regulatory requirements on Service-funded projects
  • Coordination of multiple project efforts across the landscape
Gathering of Puffins on brown rock
The Coastal Program is one of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s most effective resources for restoring and protecting fish and wildlife habitat on public and privately-owned lands. We play an important role in promoting the Service’s mission and priorities, delivering landscape-scale...
Partners for Fish and Wildlife: Nevada Coordinator Susan Abele Meets with Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Member to Conduct a Site Visit at Pyramid Lake Indian Reservation
The Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program provides free technical and financial assistance to landowners, managers, tribes, corporations, schools and nonprofits interested in improving wildlife habitat on their land. Since 1987, we have helped more than 30,000 landowners to complete more than 50,...