The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) Coastal Program is a voluntary, community-based program that provides technical and financial assistance through cooperative agreements to coastal communities, conservation partners, and landowners to restore and protect fish and wildlife habitat on public

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and private lands.

The Coastal Program staff coordinates with partners, stakeholders and other Service programs to identify geographic focus areas and develop habitat conservation goals and priorities within these focus areas.

Geographic focus areas are where the Coastal Program directs resources to conserve habitat for Federal trust species.

Projects are developed in collaboration with partners, and with substantial involvement from Service field staff.

Coastal Program projects must support the missions of the U. S. Department of the Interior (DOI), U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), and the Coastal Program, and be based on biological principles and the best available science.

The Coastal Program takes an adaptive approach to designing and implementing coastal habitat protection and restoration strategies that anticipate and ameriorate the impacts of climate change and other environmental stressors.

Coastal Program habitat improvement projects strive to increase coastal resiliency by improving the ability of coastal ecosystems to adapt to environmental changes and supporting natural and nature-based infrastructure projects to protect and enhance coastal habitats.

The Coastal Program also supports the vision of the DOI's America the Beautiful initiative, including:
Pursuing a collaborative and inclusive approaches to conservation; Acheiving conservation of 30 percent of America’s lands and waters over the next 30 years; Encouraging locally-led conservation efforts; 4) Supporting the habitat conservation priorities of Tribes; Pursuing conservation and restoration approaches that create jobs and stimulate local economies; Encouraging the voluntary stewardship efforts of private landowners; Using the best available science as a guide; and Building on existing tools and strategies with an emphasis on flexibility and adaptive approaches.