Georgia Conservation Efforts Get More Than $11M In New Federal Funding

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One of two conservation programs receiving USDA funding in Georgia aims to protect habitat for gopher tortoises.

Credit: Florida Fish and Wildlife

Two programs to conserve land in Georgia are getting millions of dollars in federal funding.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investing about $6.7 million in an initiative that helps landowners conserve habitat for the gopher tortoise, part of an effort to keep the tortoises off the endangered species list.

And $4.8 million will go to the Working Farms Fund, which aims to protect farmland and promote sustainable land management in metro Atlanta. This partnership includes a pledge that at least 20% of participating farmers will come from historically underserved groups.

Marcus Griffin with the USDA said this conservation is about the future.

“We want to make sure we protect this for longevity,” he said. “We cannot make land.”

The funding is part of the USDA’s ongoing Regional Conservation Partnership Program. The agency recently announced $330 million in funding for 85 projects nationwide that use public-private partnerships to address concerns including climate change, soil health, wildlife habitat and drought.