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Celebrating Habitat Month 2021: Connecting Habitat, Climate, and Communities

July 20, 2021

Dive into Habitat Month and learn more about the role and connection of healthy coastal habitats to our nation’s communities and ecosystems as our climate changes.

jmilisen_coralreef.jpg A lively reef in the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, Hawaii (Baker Island). Credit: Jeff Milisen.
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Erosion destroyed this Ventura bike path and part of a parking lot built on fill. Credit: Paul Jenkin/Surfrider Foundation

July is Habitat Month at NOAA Fisheries. All month long, we are sharing our incredible habitat conservation efforts through our website and social media.

The theme this year is "Connecting Habitat, Climate, and Communities!” We will explain how our habitat work supports resilient communities and ecosystems and connects to climate change.

We will highlight a variety of different habitat conservation projects and products, hold a photo contest open to all, and announce funding for new projects from six grant competitions. Follow us here and on Twitter (@NOAAHabitat, #HabitatMonth).  Also, be sure to stay up-to-date each month by becoming a HabitatNews subscriber. Help spread the word about the importance of habitat conservation to communities, and our planet!

Habitat Features

$900,000 in Funding Recommended for Atlantic Salmon Habitat Restoration

Funding for four partnerships will help restore habitat for endangered Atlantic salmon in Maine.

Learn more about the funding recommended for Atlantic salmon habitat restoration

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A fish leaping above fast-moving water
Atlantic salmon. Credit: National Park Service.

NOAA’s Exploration and Research Efforts Inform Management Decisions for Deep-Sea Coral Communities

Data collected from NOAA’s deep-ocean exploration and research efforts inform management decisions to conserve deep-sea coral communities in the Northeast.

Learn more about NOAA's deep-ocean exploration and research efforts

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A colony of bamboo coral with crinoids on Mytilus Seamount, which is within both the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument and the Georges Bank Deep-Sea Coral Protected Area.
A colony of bamboo coral with crinoids on Mytilus Seamount, which is within both the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument and the Georges Bank Deep-Sea Coral Protected Area. While exploring this area in 2013, researchers observed that corals were diverse, but their composition and abundance differed between the north and south side of the seamount. Credit: NOAA Ocean Exploration, Northeast U.S. Canyons Expedition 2013.

Photo Contest Winners Connect Viewers with Habitat

Winners, runners-up in two categories selected from entries from across the United States and territories.

See the photo contest winners

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Three people in a red kayak paddle near a large stone arch.
Claire Fackler's image of kayakers enjying a morning of recreation at Arch Rock at Anacapa Island in the Channel Islands National Park and National Marine Sanctuary captured the top spot in the "Humans in Habitat" category of the 2021 Habitat Month Photo Contest. Photo by Claire Fackler.

Cameron Meadows Project to Rebuild Hundreds of Acres of Marsh in Louisiana

An additional $1.2 million in funding will support an effort underway to rebuild more than 300 acres of marsh habitat and help protect local communities from storms and flooding.

Learn more about the Cameron Meadows Project

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Aerial image of wetlands, open water, and containment dikes
Aerial photo of the 308-acre marsh creation area at Cameron Meadows. The containment dikes have been constructed and the marsh fill will commence in September 2021. Credit: Lonnie G. Harper & Associates, Inc.

Explore Essential Fish Habitats with our Updated Interactive Mapper

Use our updated Essential Fish Habitat Mapper to view important habitat for managed fish species.

Explore the Essential Fish Habitat Mapper

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steelhead salmon swimming in stream
Steelhead swimming in stream. Credit: John McMillan

$1.43 Million in NOAA Funding Recommended for Ruth Gates Coral Restoration Innovation Grants Projects

Three new and four continuing projects will develop novel coral restoration and intervention methods to restore resilient coral ecosystems.

Learn more about for the Ruth Gates Coral Restoration Innovation Grants projects

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A scientist takes photos of the corals growing on this vibrant reef to help assess reef health.
A scientist takes photos of the corals growing on this vibrant reef to help assess reef health. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Louise Giuseffi.

Shasta River Habitat Restoration Builds Salmon’s Resilience to Rising Temperatures

A NOAA-supported project in California restores high-quality, cold-water habitat for salmon, boosting their resilience to rising temperatures due to climate change.

Learn more about Shasta River habitat restoration

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Two people in construction hats and vests working in a field in front of a piece of heavy machinery
Fence installation along a tributary of the Shasta River. Credit: Erika Nortemann.

Four Fisheries Research Projects to Connect Chesapeake Bay Fish, Changing Habitat

Research projects will give resource managers science they need as they look to the future.

Learn more about the research projects

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Three scientists examine and document the contents of a net on the shores of a river.
Researchers explore how what happens on land can affect fish and other species in the water.

Why is Natural Infrastructure Important?

A study shows conserving and restoring coastal reefs, wetlands, and mangroves can save hundreds of millions of dollars in damage.

Learn more about the study

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Salt marsh with small grass islands in Wells, Maine. Credit: Steve Callahan

Laying the Groundwork for Long-Term Restoration: A Look Back at the Recovery Act—Part 3

Habitat restoration efforts initiated through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 helped build the foundation for work that continues today.

Learn more about habitat restoration efforts initiated through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

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A backhoe near a stream in a marsh
Construction underway at the Fisher Slough project site. Credit: NOAA Fisheries.

5 Reasons Why We Love Wetlands

Here are some reasons why wetlands are so important to fish and wildlife, people and communities, and why we conserve, protect, and restore them.

Check out 5 reasons why we love wetlands

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Morning walk on the Dike Trail of the Mendenhall Wetlands in Juneau, Alaska.

Video: Misson: Iconic Reefs

NOAA and partners have launched an unprecedented effort to restore seven ecologically and culturally significant coral reefs within Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Mission: Iconic Reefs.

Tour 30 Restoration Projects Supporting Healthy Habitat and Stronger Communities

This interactive story map highlights 30 projects to celebrate almost 30 years of work by the NOAA Restoration Center and our partners.

Explore the story map

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GulfCorps building oyster reefs to protect eroding shorelines.

Last updated by Office of Habitat Conservation on July 29, 2021

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