Blairsville – The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and the Dominion Foundation recently awarded $3,615 to four local environmental organizations as part of the 2017 Watershed Mini Grant Program.

The organizations included the Bennett Branch Watershed Association, which received $415 to print updated brochures that highlight their restoration success; Seneca Chapter of Trout Unlimited of Port Allegany, which received $1,400 for data loggers and associated hardware to better monitor water quality; First Fork Watershed Association of Coudersport, which received $800 for outreach materials; and the Upper Allegheny Watershed Association of Roulette, which received $1,000 for the production of education and outreach materials.
The grant program provides assistance to the region’s watershed groups. This year’s awards cover program expenses in three areas: water quality monitoring, watershed restoration, and organizational promotion and outreach.

Since 2005, WPC and the Dominion Foundation have collaborated to help enhance water quality and watershed initiatives through this grant program, which has awarded $343,475 to more than 115 organizations.

In total, The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and the Dominion Foundation awarded $30,000 to 20 environmental organizations in 13 counties.