Subject:
Title
2026 grant application for the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation Fund Longleaf Landscape Stewardship Fund
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval of the 2026 grant application to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) Longleaf Landscape Stewardship Fund for the restoration of overgrown longleaf pine habitats within the Cross Bar/AL Bar Ranches in Pasco County.
Additionally, delegate authority to the Pinellas County Utilities Director to submit the grant application.
• Grant request of $800,000.00 in NFWF funds with a match of $400,000.00 for total project costs of $1,200,000.00.
• Expenditures will be over a four-year period beginning in Fiscal Year (FY) 2027.
• Project timeline will be from October 1st, 2027, to September 30th, 2030, for a total project period of 48 months.
• The County applied in 2024 but was not successful (see File ID 24-0096D).
• This request is not budgeted for in the FY26 Budget of Pinellas County Utilities because revenue and expenditures will not begin until FY27.
• Future funding will be dependent on the adoption of the annual County budget starting in FY27.
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Strategic Priorities:
Resilient Infrastructure and Environment
1.4 Improve environmental quality
1.5 Strengthen resilience and adaptation
Summary:
Summary
Restoration of unconverted, overgrown longleaf pine habitats within the Cross Bar/Al Bar Ranches Core Conservation Area; public lands located within the Longleaf Landscape Stewardship Fund Program Boundary and within the historical longleaf pine range. The focus will be on hardwood canopy reduction and prescribed burning within remnant sandhill polygons to restore this unique and rare Florida habitat type for the benefit of native floral and faunal species, including gopher tortoise, eastern indigo snake, bobwhite quail, wild turkey, and southeastern American kestrel.
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Background Information:
The project will result in the restoration of large portions of unconverted, fire suppressed, pine-dominated uplands on the Cross Bar/Al Bar Ranches (CB/AB) property; public lands that serve as critical connection to adjacent conservation areas. Restoration will focus on a locally imperiled and unique type of longleaf pine community known as sandhill. This project seeks to restore select sandhill polygons within the approximately 4,000 acres of sandhill habitat occurring within the Core Conservation Area (CCA) of the property. The project is compatible with the goals of the Ecosystem Management Plan prepared for CB/AB, specifically pertaining to restoration of native habitats within the CCA which provide important habitats for protected/target wildlife species. The work will enhance and expand the areas we are currently working on to develop gopher tortoise recipient areas.
Fiscal Impact:
The grant application request is for $800,000.00 with a match of $400,000.00. Expenditures will be spread out over four fiscal years (FY27-FY30), estimated at $300,000.00 per fiscal year including matching funds. The matching funds will be budgeted in Utilities operating budget under the Land, Forestry and Wildlife cost center.
Delegated Authority:
Authority for the Department Director to approve grant applications in amounts not to exceed $500,000.00 excluding local match per fiscal year is granted under Code Section 2-62 (a)(4).
Staff Member Responsible:
Jeremy Waugh, Director, Pinellas County Utilities
Partners:
US Fish & Wildlife Service Partners for Wildlife
Florida Fish & Wildlife Service
Attachments:
Intent to Apply Acceptance Memo
Project Narrative from 2024 Application.