PENNSYLVANIA (WTAJ) — Projects that are working to protect Pennsylvania’s non-game animals, native plants and their habitats are receiving funding for their mission.

As part of the Wild Resource Conservation Program, nearly $530,000 is being awarded to 15 projects across the state that are working to protect native biodiversity. This year’s grant round includes projects focused on surveying and studying rare plants, wildlife, fungi, and invertebrates to fill critical knowledge gaps and guide conservation.

“Every species plays a role in keeping Pennsylvania’s natural world healthy and resilient, and science is our most powerful tool to protect them,” Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn said. “These investments ensure we can better understand the challenges wildlife and plants face and take action to safeguard them. Protecting biodiversity isn’t just environmental work — it’s our responsibility to future generations.”

Over $4M invested in Pennsylvania manufacturing programs

Take a look at the projects:

Penn State – $53,924 to assess bee biodiversity using DNA barcoding and the Master Gardeners’ monitoring network, creating a statewide database of bee–host plant relationships.

Conemaugh Valley Conservancy – $30,998 to create Pennsylvania’s first firefly inventory in partnership with global experts.

Western Pennsylvania Conservancy – $40,525 to accurately map green salamander habitat and assess conservation needs.

University of Pennsylvania – $45,737 to study rare mountain mints (Pycnanthemum) and improve risk assessments and conservation planning.

Florida A&M University Research Foundation – $46,550 to conduct an extensive survey of Pennsylvania amphipod crustaceans and refine taxonomic understanding and range maps.

Carnegie Institute – $30,353 to locate rare plant species across western Pennsylvania using historic records and build new plant collections.

Western Pennsylvania Conservancy – $43,385 to study regionally rare stoneflies and evaluate habitat, distribution, and threats such as pollution.

Wilkes University – $27,182 to examine how forest management affects the breeding and migration of prairie warblers and wood thrush in northeastern Pennsylvania.

Western Pennsylvania Conservancy – $29,983 to survey specific rare plant species in eastern Pennsylvania with no reported occurrences in the last 20 years.

University of Pennsylvania – $50,493 to develop rapid detection protocols for endangered Allegheny woodrat habitat using trained conservation detection dogs.

Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia – $48,312 to assess opportunities to reintroduce the bridle shiner and ironcolor shiner, two endangered fish species.

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary – $42,200 to study habitat and threats affecting Pennsylvania’s nesting and wintering northern harriers.

Wildlands Conservancy – $38,400 to survey rare small mammals using camera traps and update conservation priorities.

Western Pennsylvania Conservancy – $30,600 to study conservation needs of several Potamogeton species, a group of difficult-to-identify submerged aquatic plants.

Philadelphia Mycology Club – $4,258 to document, sequence, and accession 1,600 fungi specimens into the Academy of Natural Sciences herbarium.

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“In Pennsylvania, we have a rich diversity of native bee species that are crucial for our ecosystem’s health,” Dr. Margarita Lopez-Uribe, Lorenzo Langstroth Early Career Associate Professor of Entomology at Penn State, said. “We have recorded close to 450 species, many of which are rare and depend on floral resources from native plants. With this project, we hope to collect more data on these vulnerable interactions between rare plants and native bees.”

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