Alaska Natural Resources Grants

The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Alaska Aquatic Resources Program protects and restores riparian and wetland areas, aquatic habitats, and water resources to provide functioning ecosystems for a combination of balanced and diverse uses including fish and wildlife, and for the long-term needs of future generations. Policy guidance for the Program ensures that public land management based on multiple use and sustained yield provides healthy and productive riparian, wetland, and aquatic habitat, achieves land health standards, and considers society’s long-term needs for healthy watersheds. The issues the Program addresses are diverse and include restoration, habitat fragmentation and degradation, drought resiliency, water availability, and aquatic invasive species. Program staff provide professional expertise and policy guidance to BLM managers, Federal, State, Tribal, and local governments, and non-governmental partners on these issues, and implement the best management practices to minimize or avoid impacts to water resources, riparian and wetland areas, and aquatic habitats on public lands. This program supports projects funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Section 40804 (b) Ecosystem Restoration. This program also supports projects funded through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Sections 50221 Resilience, 50222 Ecosystems Restoration and 50303 DOI.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Alaska is inviting applications for its Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) grant program. This initiative aims to foster partnerships with state, county, and tribal governments to plan and execute projects for the restoration of forests, rangelands, and watersheds. The GNA program supports activities including the treatment of insect-and disease-infected trees, hazardous fuels reduction, and other efforts to enhance forest, rangeland, and watershed health, inclusive of fish and wildlife habitats. GNA is applicable to Federal and non-Federal lands, as well as lands owned by Indian tribes. Projects that directly benefit BLM-managed lands, even if executed on non-BLM lands, are eligible for funding. Examples of potential projects under this program in Alaska encompass noxious weeds and invasive species treatment, fuels management, community assistance, forest management, rangeland plant restoration, wildlife habitat connectivity, NEPA compliance support, riparian restoration, and targeted grazing. The program is designed to address a wide range of environmental quality and public benefit goals through collaborative, cross-boundary restoration services.

The Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) fosters partnerships with states, counties, and Indian tribes for planning and executing forest, rangeland, and watershed restoration. GNA allows treating infested trees, reducing hazardous fuels, and other activities benefiting forest health GNA supports diverse projects for land and habitat resilience, such as treating noxious weeds and invasive species, fuels management, community assistance, forest and rangeland restoration, wildlife habitat connectivity, NEPA compliance, riparian restoration, and targeted grazing. These activities, spanning multiple ownerships, leverage cooperation and funds for effective implementation, enhancing overall ecological outcomes.

This funding supports conservation organizations in Alaska that are working to protect vital natural areas and address environmental issues by enabling staff to travel for advocacy and outreach efforts.

This fund provides financial support to organizations working to protect Alaska's public lands and waters from threats posed by resource extraction and policy changes.