Category Overview
The State Lands Restoration and Enhancement category provides funding to two state agencies to help repair damaged plant and animal habitat. These grants focus on resource preservation and protection of public lands. Projects in this category help bring important natural areas and resources back to their original functions by improving the self sustaining and ecological functionality of sites.
Project Highlights
Washington State Parks will use this grant to restore habitat for the sand-verbena moth, a critically imperiled species known from fewer than 11 locations in North America (five in Canada and six in the United States). In the U.S., two of the known populations are in Washington state parks: Fort Worden and Deception Pass. This project will improve habitat for the sand-verbena moth in these parks by reducing cover of invasive plant species, increasing the abundance of sand-verbena, and redirecting recreational use away from critical habitat. In addition to benefiting the sand-verbena moth, this restoration project will benefit other plant and animal species that are native to these rare sand dune habitats. Visitors will be routed out of critical habitat areas, and trails through the restoration areas will provide the public an opportunity to observe rare native species and communities. The primary purpose of this project is restoration of an imperiled species.