Foundation Awards $750,000 in Grants for Florida Springs, Wildlife Management, Hunting & Shooting Sports

Awarded annually after a competitive process that includes the input of two citizen advisory committees, Springs grants are for research into the threats facing Florida’s fragile springs, while so-called “deer tag” grants promote women youth hunting programs, hunting safety, Veteran hunting programs, game-related habitat management, and the protection of additional public hunting lands, among many other programs. Grants have also helped increase access to existing public hunting lands, especially for individuals with physical limitations. FWFF is also stepping up funding for increased surveillance for chronic-wasting disease in deer.

The nearly $400,000 in springs grants include research on the springs of the Santa Fe, upper Ocklawaha and St. Johns rivers, as well as Hornsby, Silver, Wakulla and Weeki Wachee springs. Understanding the stresses and sources of stress in each spring’s watershed is critical to developing strategies to preserve pristine springs and rehabilitate others. A portion of springs grants is also used to disseminate research findings that would benefit multiple springs and to influence human behaviors and practices that can degrade springs.

A complete list of the recently awarded grants may be found here.