After Environmental Disasters, NOAA Works to Restore Habitat for All

Each July NOAA celebrates Habitat Month, a month-long ode to our habitat conservation efforts. In particular, the Damage Assessment, Remediation, and Restoration Program (DARRP) aims to restore habitat for fisheries and wildlife which also supports recreation and tourism for people.

Since its inception more than 30 years ago, DARRP has assessed, restored, and protected coastal environments damaged by oil spills, hazardous waste releases, and vessel groundings. NOAA and other federal and state agencies, called trustees, have recovered more than $10.7 billion from polluters. With partners, we've used these funds to restore important habitats and natural resources nationwide.

When oil or hazardous waste spills into the environment, it harms habitats, and can limit outdoor recreational activities like fishing, boating, and swimming. Through DARRP, NOAA helps restore and reconnect all walks of life to these natural spaces. Read on to learn about four recent restoration projects.

Community Comes Together to Replant a Restored Marsh in North Carolina

New plants are shown in the Carolina Beach marsh area (Photo: NOAA Fisheries)

A restoration project at Carolina Beach State Park recently revitalized 10 acres of coastal marsh by restoring tidal flow. It removed invasive species and reintroduced native plants to enhance habitat for fish, birds, and wildlife. This effort is part of a broader restoration initiative funded by a $23 million legal settlement. It will compensate for decades of environmental damage caused by toxic waste released into the Cape Fear River basin from the former Kerr-McGee Chemical Corporation site. This project enhances both habitat and recreational opportunities at the park, a popular destination for both locals and tourists to the region.

Federally Endangered Roseate Tern Nesting Habitat to be Restored at Ram Island

Federally endangered Roseate Tern (Photo: Bill Byrne, MADFW)

Following the Bouchard Barge 120 oil spill in New England's Buzzards Bay, NOAA and co-trustees secured more than$19.3 million in settlement funds. We will use the funds to restore natural resources and public uses impacted by the spill across Massachusetts and Rhode Island. NOAA and our partners have completed more than 50 projects. They include coastal habitat protection efforts, enhancement of recreational areas such as a kayak launch and hiking trails, and restoring shellfish populations.

One Million Coral-Protecting Sea Urchins Deployed in Hawaii

(A crew successfully deploying the millionth urchin (Photo: Hawai'i Division of Aquatic Resources)

The Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources, in partnership with NOAA, have deployed more than 1 million sea urchins after the M/V Cape Flattery grounded on an Oʻahu coral reef. The ship grounding led to almost 20 acres of damaged coral reef habitat. Through this project, urchins were spawned and reared in a hatchery. Then, XX divers deployed them on the reef to help mitigate the growth of invasive algae smothering the coral.

Road Removal Project Reconnects Wetlands and Benefits Salmon

A recently completed project in unincorporated Pierce County, Washington reconnected Clear Creek, a tributary of the Puyallup River near Tacoma, with wetland habitat for migrating salmon. (Photo: Pierce County)

A project in Washington State-part of the Commencement Bay hazardous waste site restoration-removed sections of a roadway and improved existing tidegate infrastructure. It reconnected Clear Creek with a 9.5-acre wetland, benefiting migratory fish like Puget Sound Chinook salmon. This restoration enhanced salmon habitat for feeding, resting, and rearing during their migration from the Puyallup River to the ocean. It also improved flood resilience for nearby communities. Salmon are an iconic species in the Pacific Northwest-they are a spiritual, cultural, and subsistence centerpiece to tribes.

Learn more about Habitat Month and how the Office of Habitat Conservation is working together with our partners to protect and restore healthy habitats across the country.

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