AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) A natural resource conservation program in Maine is dedicating nearly $1.5 million to projects designed to restore and protect wetlands in the state.
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection says the funding is coming from the Maine Natural Resource Conservation Program, which uses state and federal money for competitive grants. Recipients of this round of grants include Friends of Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge, Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, and Frenchman Bay Conservancy.
The fund was started to offset unavoidable impacts to protected natural areas that arise because of development projects. The grants fund restoration and preservation of similar resources. The Maine DEP says that helps maintain “overall ecological benefits” in many parts of the state.
The program has funded more than 100 projects in Maine since 2009.
