News Release: Coastal Conservancy Awards $17.5 million for Coastal Access, Restoration, Climate and Wildfire Resilience
2/13/25 – Today, the Board of the State Coastal Conservancy approved grants for coastal restoration, public access, climate resilience, and wildfire mitigation. The Board also reaffirmed its commitment to its Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Guidelines and to its Strategic Plan goal of prioritizing equity for systemically excluded communities and California Native American Tribes.
The grants awarded were:
Humboldt County and San Luis Obispo County
A grant of up to $1,647,600 to the County of Humboldt and the Coastal San Luis Resource Conservation District to augment the Conservancy grants previously authorized on April 18, 2024, for two mapping projects that develop critical data layers for north and central coast wildfire resilience planning.
Humboldt County
A grant of up to $150,000 to augment the Conservancy’s previously authorized grant to the Mattole Restoration Council to host wildland fire-fighting training sessions and to restore historical prairies and landscape level fuel breaks through vegetation removal and management in the King Range National Conservation Area.
A grant of up to $277,400 to the Blue Lake Rancheria to acquire two parcels comprising 33.8 acres at the Baduwa’t Estuary, west of McKinleyville, for the purposes of protection and enhancement of habitat, protection of natural and cultural resources, preservation of open space, providing California Native American tribal cultural access and ceremonial uses, providing public access, and monitoring fish, wildlife, and climate change.
Mendocino, Trinity, and Humboldt Counties
A grant of up to $5,000,000 for the Great Redwood Trail to the Great Redwood Trail Agency to augment funding for engineering and environmental services, planning and design, public outreach, organizational development, advancement of the railbanking process, technical support, staffing for the Great Redwood Trail Agency, and other costs and services as may be required for the advancement of the Great Redwood Trail in Mendocino, Trinity, and Humboldt Counties.
Mendocino County
A grant of up to $503,400 to Mendocino Land Trust to undertake the Great Redwood Trail Willits to Longvale Planning Project, consisting of preparing resource studies and surveys, conducting outreach, coordinating with California Native American tribes, preparing 20% designs, and preparing environmental compliance documents for a 12.7-mile segment of the Great Redwood Trail in the City of Willits and unincorporated Mendocino County.
A grant of up to $350,000 to the City of Ukiah to implement Phase 4 of the Ukiah Great Redwood Trail Project, consisting of construction of a 1.9-mile portion of the Great Redwood Trail between Plant Road and Commerce Drive in the City of Ukiah, Mendocino County and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
Marin County
Authorization to approve the Disposition Plan for the Bel Marin Keys South Lagoon Levee, for the purpose of transferring the South Lagoon Levee to the Bel Marin Keys Community Services District to maintain the structural integrity of the levee and to maintain the levee top trail for public access.
San Mateo County
A grant of up to $4,114,532 to the San Mateo Resource Conservation District to undertake the Pedro Point Headlands Wildfire Resilience Program, consisting of 1) planning and preparing permit applications and environmental review documents for wildfire fuel reduction, including removal of mature trees, and 2) planning and implementation of discrete vegetation management tasks at the Pedro Point Headlands in Pacifica.
Santa Clara County
A grant of up to $2,700,000 to Ducks Unlimited, Inc. to augment Conservancy funding previously authorized for the restoration of tidal marsh and creation of public access at the Mountain View Ponds (Ponds A1 and A2W), as part of Phase 2 of the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project.
Orange County
A grant of up to $2,000,000 to the City of Anaheim to undertake the Santa Ana River: River Park project, consisting of the construction of a 3.3-acre nature park to restore natural habitat and provide recreational opportunities along the Santa Ana River.
A grant of up to $250,000 to Orange County Parks to prepare a phasing plan for a two-mile segment of the Santa Ana River Trail located in Orange County at the border with Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, and to prepare final designs and obtain permits for a portion of the two-mile segment, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
Statewide
A grant of up to $500,000 to augment the Conservancy’s previously authorized grant to Montrose Environmental to continue providing technical assistance on environmental documentation, permit applications, and project planning to support wildfire resiliency project development across the Conservancy’s jurisdiction.