Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Coastal Program?

The Coastal Program focuses the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s efforts in bays, estuaries and watersheds around the U.S. coastline. The purpose of the Coastal Program is to work together with our partners to conserve fish and wildlife and their habitats. The Service provides funding to Cooperators through the Coastal Program to 23 high-priority coastal ecosystems across the nation.

What is the Cooperator’s role?

A simple phone call or letter to the local Coastal Program coordinator initiates the process. The cooperator works one-on-one with a local Service biologist to develop a proposal and/or project plan addressing the goals and objectives of the Cooperator and the Service to benefit fish and wildlife species.

To implement a project, a cooperative agreement with a minimum duration of 10 years is signed. The landowner is reimbursed after project completion, based on the cost-sharing formula in the agreement.

To implement a project, a cooperative agreement is signed between the Service and the Cooperator. The landowner is reimbursed after project completion, based on the cost-sharing formula in the agreement.

What are the benefits?

For the Cooperator: Fulfilling habitat conservation goals on the land by working one-on-one in partnership with the local Service biologist.

For the species: Restoring important habitats on private lands that may result in the recovery of Federal trust species.

Who can participate?

We partner with other Federal programs (including Service programs), State agencies, Tribal and local governments, non-governmental organizations, businesses, industry, land trusts and non-profit groups, and private landowners.