Austin Peay State University’s Southeastern Grasslands Institute receives America’s Ecosystem Restoration Initiative grant

Austin Peay State University’s Southeastern Grasslands Institute has received an America’s Ecosystem Restoration Initiative grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The Southeastern Grasslands Institute will receive funding that totals $10 million, which counts the grant funding in addition to matching contributions from benefactors and other organizations, and will help the Institute restore roughly 2,500 acres of grasslands in Southeastern Tennessee.

According to an article on Austin Peay State University’s website, Dr. Dwayne Estes, who serves as the executive director and co-founder of the Southeastern Grasslands Institute, was quoted as saying of the funding, “Through this [grant], we can put people to work, build a conservation workforce, and keep these grassland sites from disappearing. But the real impact is what it does for communities: grassland anchors become places people can gather, learn, and reconnect with where they live, while also supporting human health, education, and tourism. In some counties, the remaining small grasslands are the last of their kind, and it’s imperative we find and protect them now.”

Estes went on to explain the origins of the grant application and the individuals who played key roles in writing it: “Jeremy French, in his role as [SGI’s] chief of ecological restoration, led the writing and development of this grant, drawing upon six years of relationships and partnerships he has built in the region. Layla Dunlap (chief of staff), Theo Witsell (chief conservation officer and co-founder), and Chip Morgan (GIS analyst) played key supporting roles, helping to bring Jeremy’s vision for this project to life.”

The grant will allow the Institute to work to restore grasslands over the next four years, with funding going toward a number of initiatives. The funding will employ 13 individuals: a director of community engagement, a chief of ecological restoration, seasonal restoration technicians, and additional full-time restoration practitioners. It will also work to establish a new partnership with Belmont University to fund the work of two restoration technicians per year as they work to restore Lytle Bend Park in Nashville. The funding will also create the Dickson and Hickman County Grasslands Fellowship Program. Additionally, the funds will purchase equipment and vehicles to aid in these efforts.

Matching contributions and other support for these efforts came from BAND Foundation, Google, Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation, Tennessee Wildlife Federation, Wessyngton Company LLC, Sen. Bill & Tracy Frist, Roundstone Native Seed Company, Nashville Metro Parks & Recreation, The Nature Conservancy of Tennessee, Bask Retreat Center, Best Hope Farm, Belmont University, Central Hardwoods Joint Venture, Fort Campbell, Betsy & Thomas Morgan, the Native American Indian Association of Tennessee, Quail Forever, Friends of Shelby Bottom Park, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, U.S. Dept. of Interior Fish & Wildlife Service, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Land Trust for Tennessee, and Anne Walker King.

For more information about Austin Peay State University, visit the school’s website.