NACo and members of the Five Star Restoration Partnership are accepting applications for Five Star Restoration Challenge Grants for 2001. The Five Star Restoration Program provides modest financial assistance on a competitive basis to support community-based wetland and streamside restoration projects that build diverse partnerships and foster local natural resource stewardship.

In 2000, the second year of the program, 59 grants totaling more than $575,000 were awarded to community-led conservation projects throughout the country. Individual grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $15,000.

NACo-awarded grant projects included aspects of community education and many employed summer youth through the Workforce Investment Act to complete their streamside and wetlands restoration projects. projects.

Grant applications must be postmarked by March 2, 2001. The application form and request for proposals may be accessed at http://www.naco.org/programs/environ/waterpgm.cfm or requested from Abby Friedman at (202) 942-4225 or afriedma@naco.org. Applicants will be notified of their awards in May.

For information on previous award winners projects, visit http://www.naco.org/programs/environ/wetlands/grants.cfm, and for more information on the Five Star Restoration Partnership, visit the EPA’s web page at http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/restore/5star.

Members of the he Five Star Restoration Partnership include NACo, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Wildlife Habitat Council, in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Marine Fisheries Service and other sponsors.