Photo by Donna Winton
By Barb Grover, Allegheny Group
The Allegheny Group of the Sierra Club has the responsibility each year of providing grant awards from the Huplits Endowment. The Huplits Wildlife Grants Committee includes four members from the Allegheny Group (i.e., Barb Grover, Ellen Wright, Maren Cooke, and Chris Seymour) and three people from outside the Group (i.e., Amy Faivre, Matt MacConnell, and Dave Byman). Grant proposals must be designed to help protect animal wildlife and wildlife habitat in Pennsylvania. Requests for proposals were advertised in February 2020 with a May 1, 2020 deadline. This year we had a maximum of $100,000 that we could grant. After review by the committee members, the following organizations were given awards, totaling $78,925.
Philadelphia Metro Wildlife Center - $4,920
Description: The mission of the center is to provide support and rehabilitation to injured and orphaned wildlife and to educate humans about coexisting with wildlife. This project will construct five outdoor enclosures used in the last stage before release into the wild.
Chalfant Run/Thompson Run Watershed Association - $2,430
Description: To create a Chimney Swift Tower to provide nesting habitat for Chimney Swifts, to build bat boxes to provide nesting habitat for bats, and to purchase a variety of plants that are hosts to specific butterflies. Educational signs will be installed to inform the public of the significance of these structures and plants.
Lehigh Valley Group of the Sierra Club - Acid Mine Drainage Project - $9,550
Description: To repair the leak in a limestone leach field that is used to remove aluminum from the tunnel discharge. The leak in the system currently results in all the tunnel discharge flow being diverted directly to the creek. The repair will reduce the toxicity of the creek so that it can support aquatic life.
The Allegheny Land Trust - $25,000
Description: Assistance with the finances to purchase a premier conservation area at the former Churchill Valley Country Club property. The property will be a large greenspace of wildlife habitat in an otherwise urban area. The Golf cart paths provide access to people of all ages and abilities to explore nature close to home.
Grounded Strategies (2 year project) - $10,320
Description: A project to conduct a study on a vacant lot in a local urban community to explore ways to use the space to improve the ecological health and wildlife habitat of such a space. The long term goal is to identify the most effective way to convert vacant land into an ecological asset.
The Camp at Elk Tannery LLC & Vets in the Valley Foundation - $12,934
Description: Create a Forest Conservation Plot to showcase sustainable forest practices and provide a learning platform for public outreach. This effort will increase an understanding of the importance of conservation efforts for wildlife protection.
Citizens for a Healthy Jessup - $13,771
Description: Conduct water and air quality tests to monitor the pollution from a fossil fuel burning power plant in Jessup. The purpose of these tests is to have documentation of any harm that impacts the health and welfare of the residents as well as the wildlife in the area.
Congratulations to all of these incredible organizations!
We encourage all our Sierra Club members to consider submitting applications in 2021. The Request For Proposals will be available on the Allegheny Group’s website and the Pennsylvania Chapter’s website in early February 2021. Start planning early and please contact Barb Grover for details.
This blog was included as part of the 2021 Winter Sylvanian newsletter. Please click here to check out more articles from this edition!