Kansas City, Mo. – The Georgia Wildlife Federation in Newton County will receive a $40,000 federal grant to restore and protect 3.5 acres of wetlands along the Alcovy River at East End Road in Covington, Ga.

The grant was announced July 12 by the National Association of Counties (NACo). NACo has awarded $246,100 in grants through the Five Star Program Partnership to sustain 10 projects in various counties across the country to help implement locally-driven wetland and watershed restoration projects.

Five Star Restoration projects involve a high degree of cooperation with local governmental agencies, elected officials, community groups, businesses, schools and environmental organizations working together to improve local water quality and restore central fish and wildlife habitats.

Newton County partners will also create a demonstration site to educate the community about the economic and ecological values of healthy riverine ecosystems in conjunction with Oxford College of Emory University. Project partners include the Georgia Wildlife Foundation, The Conservation Fund, Georgia Future Farmers of America-Future Career and Community Leaders of America, Georgia River Fishing, Newton County Keep Covington/Newton Beautiful, Oxford College of Emory University, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Georgia Department of Environmental Protection Division Adopt-AStream and Rivers Alive, Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council, Newtown County Extension and Master Gardeners, and Air Conditioning Specialists, Inc.

The 2008 NACo grantees are:

• Roanoke County Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, Va.

• Miami Science Museum- Miami-Dade County, Fla.

• Southwest Environmental Center- Dona Ana County, N.M.

• Escambia County, Fla.

• DeKalb County, Ga.

• Georgia Wildlife Federation- Newton County, Ga.

• Umcompahgre Plateau Project- Montrose and Delta Counties, Colo.

• Jefferson Parish Department of Environmental Affairs, La.

• University of Kentucky Research Foundation- Fayette County, Ky.

• Upper Oconee Watershed Network- Clarke County, Ga.

“On behalf of the nation’s counties, I congratulate the 2008 NACo Five Star grantees,” said NACo President Eric Coleman, commissioner, Oakland County, Mich. “NACo is very proud of its longstanding support of the Five Star Restoration Challenge Grant Program. Counties and their partners across the country are fostering environmental stewardship and building diverse partnerships that promise to restore and protect the environment well into the future.”

Since 1997, NACo has helped fund projects in 118 counties across the country, providing a total of more than $1,196,000 for community-based environmental restoration and education. The Five Star Restoration Program has supported more than 400 projects with more than $4 million in federal funds.

Major funding for the program comes from the EPA’s Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds. Other participating partners of the program are the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the Wildlife Habitat Council with corporate sponsors Pacific Gas & Electric and Southern Company.

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The National Association of Counties (NACo) is the only national organization that represents county governments in the United States. Founded in 1935, NACo provides essential services to the nation’s 3,066 counties. NACo advances issues with a unified voice before the federal government, improves the public’s understanding of county government, assists counties in finding and sharing innovative solutions through
education and research, and provides value-added services to save counties and taxpayers money. For more information about NACo, visit www.naco.org