By Barb Grover, Huplits Wildlife Grants Committee Chair, 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., Renee Dolney, Barb Grover, Chris Seymour, and Ellen Wright) 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 2021 with a May 1, 2021 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 $87,583. We encourage all our Sierra Club members to consider submitting applications in 2022. The Request For Proposals will be available on the Allegheny Group’s website and the PA Chapter’s website in early February 2022. Start planning now! Contact Barb Grover at 412-521-9526 or barbgrover1@gmail.com for details.
1. Allegheny Defense Project Award: $21,000
This proposal is part of the Pennsylvania Wild project. The overall purpose of Pennsylvania Wild is to protect roadless and remote wildlife habitat on Pennsylvania public lands from oil & gas development. The project will engage in public comment opportunities related to gas & oil drilling affecting public lands, create public comment opportunities related to water withdrawal for proposed fracking, and monitor Department of Environmental Protection and Susquehanna River Basin Commission notices for public comment. In addition, they will target opportunities for acquiring the mineral rights in areas in the Allegheny National Forest.
2. The Camp at Elk Tannery LLC & Vets in the Valley Foundation Award: $9,089
The project continues established forest stewardship focusing on wildlife habitat revitalization as well as sustainment and healthy forest initiatives. They provide educational opportunities for military veterans, youth, young adults and educators to learn about the practices that maintain healthy forests.
3. Chalfant Run/Thompson Run Watershed Association Award: $1,725
This project will continue its 2020-21 work in the Churchill Valley Greenway. Volunteers will install bat boxes, finish the signs for the chimney swift tower installed last year and purchase a variety of plants that are hosts to native bees and butterflies. Educational signs will be installed to inform the public of the significance of these structures and plants. The greenway provides much needed habitat for nesting and egg laying of vulnerable wildlife species.
4. Citizens for a Healthy Jessup Award: $18,386
This organization will conduct water and air quality tests at three commercial sites near Jessup, PA, where a new fossil fuel burning power plant pollutes the air and water. These commercial sites in the Lackawanna River Watershed threaten the health and well-being of humans and wildlife in a 30-mile river valley north of Scranton, PA. The purpose of these tests is to document any harm that impacts the health and welfare of the residents as well as the wildlife in the area.
5. Friends of White’s Woods Award: $9,000
The purpose of this project is to preserve the 250-acre White’s Woods Nature Center for future generations. Funding for past and future legal expenses is essential to making legal challenges based on the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act, the Second Class Township Code, and/or The Pennsylvania Environmental Rights Amendment. The woods are under a third threat of timbering in the last 25 years. This litigation is designed to find a permanent solution to protecting the woods.
6. Lehigh Valley Group of the Sierra Club - Acid Mine Drainage Award: $6,508
The project is in need of up-to-date equipment to continue its aquatic water quality monitoring. In the past, they have borrowed water quality monitors, but these are inadequate (10 years old and not always accessible). These funds are also used for current and future maintenance and training needs.
7. Penn Hills Shade Tree Commission Award: $1,793
This project is designed to complete Phase III of the Plum Creek Restoration project. Phase 3 will restore the riparian forest ecosystem, habitat, and aesthetics along a section of Plum Creek within the Penn Hill Community Park. The work includes removing Japanese knotweed, an invasive plant and replacing the knotweed with native trees and shrubs.
8. Philadelphia Metro Wildlife Center Award: $8,150
The project is designed to expand the Wild Neighbors program to include school age children in underserved areas in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Three wildlife programs will be offered. One will focus on wildlife in the children’s neighborhoods, one will focus on owls, and another on feathered friends. The main objective is to educate children about animals and their adaptations, as well as encourage a love of wildlife.
9. Shamokin Creek Restoration Alliance Award: $11,932
The project will restore 250 feet of creek bed along Quaker Run, a stream that has been negatively affected by past mining operations. A clay lining will be added to keep the water from seeping into the mines, and structures will be built to hold back stormwater events with the expectation that the structures will become homes to aquatic, terrestrial and avian wildlife.
This blog was included as part of the Fall 2021 Sylvanian newsletter. Please click here to check out more articles from this edition!