Contacts: John Antonio, 505-248-6810 or Elizabeth Slown, 505-248-6909
The Interior Department’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today issued a request for proposals from federally recognized tribes to conserve and recover endangered, threatened and at-risk species and other wildlife on tribal lands under the Tribal Landowner Incentive (TLIP) and Tribal Wildlife grants (TWG) programs.
“Native Americans have a great knowledge of, and intimate connection to the land and its wildlife,” Interior Secretary Gale Norton said. “The goal of these two grants programs is to build partnerships with tribes and empower them to conserve tribal land and recover the wildlife.”
President Bush developed the two programs, which are similar to the new Landowner Incentive and State Wildlife grants programs to conserve and restore the habitat of threatened, endangered and at risk species on private lands. The programs were modeled after a successful program implemented by President Bush in Texas when he was governor. In January 2004, Norton announced the first round of 79 grants to 60 tribes.
“Although this is only the second time the Service is calling for proposals for the two Tribal grant programs, based on the quality of the 214 total applications submitted in the first round, we anticipate reviewing many worthy applications,” said Service Director Steve Williams.
Grants in the two programs are awarded through a competitive process. In fiscal year 2004, TLIP has nearly $3 million available for federally recognized Indian tribes to address protection, restoration, and management of habitat to benefit species at risk, including federally listed endangered or threatened species, as well as proposed or candidate species. At least 25 percent of the costs associated with each project funded under this program must be covered by non-Federal funds. The maximum award under this program is $150,000.
TWG, in fiscal year 2004, has nearly $6 million available for grants that will benefit wildlife and its habitat, including species that are not hunted or fished. Although matching funds will be considered as an indicator of Tribal commitment to a project, they are not required for these grants. The maximum award under this program is $250,000.
Indian Tribes have a controlling interest in more than 52 million acres of Tribal trust lands with an additional 40 million acres held by Alaskan Native Corporations. Much of this land is relatively undisturbed, providing a significant amount of rare and important fish and wildlife habitat.
The first round of grants supported projects ranging from comprehensive surveys of plant and vertebrate fish and wildlife on reservation lands in order to establish databases to habitat and fish restoration to development of new resource management techniques. Some of the at-risk species benefiting from these projects include lake sturgeon, sage grouse, antelope, pygmy rabbits, and the eastern cougar.
The request for proposals was published in the March 23, 2004 Federal Register and grant applications must be postmarked by May 24, 2004.
For grant application kits, please visit http://www.cr.nps.gov/ailo or contact Southwest Region Native American Coordinator John Antonio Office at (505) 248-6810.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 544 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 63 Fish and Wildlife Management offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
|
