The Nature Conservancy. Protecting nature. Preserving life.™

Water, water, water… This topic is on the public agenda in dozens of ways.  Nothing is more important than water for human health and the health of our fish and wildlife resources.  In survey after survey, clean water is one of the most prominent environmental concerns in the United States. Clean water and abundant habitat are critical to functional aquatic ecosystems with healthy populations of fish and wildlife.

The Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership -- through collaborative funding programs with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHAP) and the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Restoration Center, and work with state agencies and local partners -- identifies and implements habitat restoration projects throughout the Southeast. On-the-ground projects, like the Raccoon Creek Watershed Stream Restoration in Paulding County, Georgia, are helping to address regional habitat objectives and national conservation priorities. The project involves multiple partners, including SARP, USFWS, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GA DNR), Paulding County, Georgia Power, Upper Coosa Riverkeeper, Georgia River Network, and Kennesaw State University.

To learn more about SARP and its partners, programs and projects, visit SARP’s website at www.southeastaquatics.net or contact SARP Coordinator, Scott Robinson, at 404-783-5241 or scottr@southeastaquatics.net. For details about the Raccoon Creek project and to learn more about the 2011 SARP-sponsored projects in the region visit http://bit.ly/SARPRRC.  To arrange a Raccoon Creek project site visit, contact Katie Owens, TNC, at 706-767-0497 or kowens@tnc.org.