A Chehalis River Basin-based conservation group is now looking for local projects meant to restore or preserve streams in the Chehalis Basin.

The Chehalis Basin Collaborative for Salmon Habitat announced earlier this month that it would be accepting project proposals through Tuesday, Feb. 10. The collaborative helps direct as much as $1 million in state funding from the Salmon Recovery Funding Board each year to restoration and conservation projects.

According to a recent news release, local governments, conservation districts, special purpose districts, nonprofits and others are eligible to apply for the grant finding through the collaborative. Private landowners are also welcome to apply; however, the collaborative recommends landowners partner with a qualifying organization to help with the rigorous application process.

Applications should include a minimum funding request of $5,000 with no maximum. Projects that have received funding in the past include efforts to plant native trees and shrubs along river streams, replacing culverts that block salmon, reconnecting side channels with main stem streams and much more.

“The Chehalis Basin Collaborative for Salmon Habitat is a local organization that supports salmon habitat restoration through directing funding from the state’s Salmon Recovery Funding Board to on-the-ground projects every year,” reads a statement from the Chehalis Basin Collaborative for Salmon Habitat. “The group is looking for new project ideas to restore or protect salmon habitat in the rivers that flow in the Chehalis River and Grays Harbor.”

Projects can apply for full funding by grants, but the collaborative encourages applicants to show proof of resources that can support the project to show a local commitment to the project. Resources include labor force, access to necessary materials and equipment or additional funding.

Those interested in applying can reach out to Chehalis Watershed Coordinator Kirsten Harma over the phone at 360-488-3232 or by email at kharma@chehalistribe.org.

More information on the program and how to apply is available on the Chehalis Basin Collaborative for Salmon Habitat website. For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/5666267f.

Fish passage barrier correction and side channe creation on Camp Creek in Grays Harbor County. Project sponsored by Chehalis Basin Fisheries task Force.

Washington State Department of Ecology A map of the Chehalis Basin.