Habitat is a combination of environmental factors that provides food, water, cover and space that a living thing needs to survive and reproduce. There are many different types of habitats, including: coastal and estuarine, rivers and streams, lakes and ponds, wetlands, riparian areas, deserts, grasslands/prairie, forests, coral reefs, marine, perennial snow and ice, and urban. Fisheries and Habitat Conservation programs are dedicated to improving the health all types of habitat so that they are able to support healthy fish and wildlife, healthy people, and a healthy economy.

Fisheries and Habitat Conservation programs are involved in habitat protection and restoration; partnerships, grants, and financial assistance; assessment and monitoring; project planning, permits, technical assistance and review; and public awareness and education. We work with partners to ameliorate the destruction, degradation, and fragmentation of habitat that make up the driving force behind the current decline in species and biodiversity. With willing landowners, we work to replant land that has been cleared, remove or reduce the impacts of the introduction of invasive species, reduce the effects of pollution or hazardous spills on wildlife, assess the status and trends of habitat, and conserve native species. Visit the program links below to know more.

Habitat Protection, Management and Restoration:
Contaminants remediation
Coastal partnerships with agencies, organizations, and others
National Fish Habitat Initiative

Partnerships, Grants, and Financial Assistance for Habitat Conservation:
Coastal Grants
Coastal partnerships with agencies, organizations, and others
Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance to Tribes, Military and others
Fish passage restoration through local partnerships
Invasive Species - interagency cooperation and Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force
Partnering with landowners to cost-share habitat restoration

Assessment and Monitoring:
Coastal Barrier Resource System management and mapping
 Coastal Program resources assessments, examples:
   Gulf of Maine
   New York Bight
   Texas coastal
Contaminants and water quality standards
Wetland maps and reports

Project Planning, Permits, Technical Assistance and Review:
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act
Contaminants technical assistance for
   pesticides
   oil spills
    Superfund sites 
Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act
Hydropower licensing review under FERC (Federal Energy Reg. Comm.)
NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) project reviews
Transportation planning
Wind Energy projects review

Education and Getting Involved:
Images - photographs and drawings
Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers! Protect Your Waters
Wetlands Kids & Educators Page
Wild Things, annual habitat programs, educator's guides and links