"These are wonderful projects that will help protect a wide range of fish and wildlife," said Berg, D-Eureka, an advisory member of the conservation board.

The panel on Thursday approved:

* A $4 million grant to help take into public ownership 24,000 acres of Mendocino County forest along the Upper Garcia River Watershed.

"This is going to protect steelhead, coho, salmon, spotted owls ... pretty much every living thing out there," Berg said.

The $4,005,000 repayable grant links efforts of the State Coastal Conservancy and the Conservation Fund to complete the February 2004 purchase of 23,780 acres along the Upper Garcia River Watershed. This will allow the Conservation Fund to retain ownership and, with its partners, begin restoration and enhancement activities.

* A $3.5 million grant for habitat restoration on the Mill Creek Watershed in Del Norte County.

This $3,542,000 grant goes to the Smith River Alliance for a cooperative project with the California Department of Parks and Recreation, Save the Redwoods League, State Coastal Conservancy, State Water Resources Control Board and Department of Fish and Game.

The coalition of agencies will decommission up to 51 miles of former logging roads, control erosion, and clear culverts on an additional 255 miles of roads. They will also implement thinning activities on up to 1,200 acres of young forest stands, while improving in-stream habitat for salmonids and reestablishing riparian conifers along Mill Creek.

"This will go a long way toward restoring and protecting a precious state resource," Berg said.