The Penobscot Indian Nation and the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians are among those awarded America the Beautiful grants Tuesday from the Department of the Interior and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
The Penobscot Nation was awarded $5 million to conduct habitat assessments of moose, wood turtles, and vernal pools, and improve fish passage for brook trout and Atlantic salmon. The funds will also restore riparian habitat and aquatic connectivity through the replacement of five stream crossings. The projects aim to strengthen traditional tribal lifeways by restoring fish and wildlife habitat throughout tribal land in the Penobscot River watershed
The Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians was awarded $1.6 million to fund river restoration projects in the Wolastoq-St. John watershed.
America the Beautiful, launched by the Biden Administration two years ago, set the nation’s first-ever goal to conserve 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters by 2030.
