City Receives Grant to Support the 1000 Acres Pollinator Initiative
The City of Cedar Rapids has been awarded a grant of $96,480 from Resource Enhancement and Protection, commonly referred to as REAP. The funds will be used to support the 1,000 Acres Pollinator Initiative. The Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation Department, with private and public partners, leads this five year initiative to install up to 1,000 new public land acres of native prairie to support monarch and pollinator populations, as well as improve soil and watershed conservation within Cedar Rapids and Linn County.
The grant funds will be used to purchase native pollinator seed, herbicide for site preparation and contract labor for seed drill installation. This grant will allow 82 acres of non-productive land to be converted to native prairie habitat within the Sac and Fox Natureway. It will include educational signage and mowed walking trails for recreation and educational opportunities. While the 1,000 Acres Pollinator Initiative will span five years, the acres supported by this grant will be converted in 2017.
This project meets important federal, state and local goals for pollinator habitat restoration and protection of natural resources. It addresses the rapid decline both nationally and statewide of pollinator key species and their habitat.
REAP invests in projects that enhance and protect the Iowa’s natural and cultural resources. Fifteen percent of REAP funds are set aside for grants to cities for projects that help establish natural areas, encourage outdoor recreation and resource management. In its 27 years, REAP has benefited every county in Iowa by supporting over 15,000 projects. REAP has funded these projects with $250 million in state investments, leveraging two to three times the amount in private, local and federal dollars. Collectively, these projects have improved the quality of life for all Iowans with better soil and water quality; added outdoor recreation opportunities; sustained economic development; enhanced knowledge and understanding of our ecological and environmental assets, and preservation of our cultural and historic treasures.
The City of Cedar Rapids has benefited from REAP funding in the past for projects including riverfront restoration at the McGrath Amphitheatre and the purchase of property along Wilson Avenue SW to be protected as green space for further park development.
