DENVER-The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, through its Cooperative Recovery Initiative (CRI), is committing $5.8 million to 14 projects across 18 states for recovery of some of the nation’s most at-risk species on or near national wildlife refuges.
“For over 100 years, the National Wildlife Refuge System has been protecting the nation’s wildlife and providing important habitat for hundreds of species, including 380 of our endangered or threatened species,” said Service Director Dan Ashe. “The CRI brings together a diverse group of partners to advance species recovery through cooperative conservation actions on national wildlife refuges.”
Three Mountain-Prairie Region projects are receiving funding under the 2015 CRI:
Wetlands and Whooping Cranes: A Strategic Approach to Habitat Protection, Restoration, and Enhancement in Nebraska’s Rainwater Basin.
Rainwater Basin Wetland Management District, Nebraska
Lesser Prairie-Chicken Conservation and Recovery in Kansas.
Quivira National Wildlife Refuge and Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge, Kansas
Arapaho and UL Bend National Wildlife Refuges Black-footed Ferret Cooperative Recovery Initiative.
Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, Montana and Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge, Colorado
The Cooperative Recovery Initiative was established in 2013 to restore and recover federally listed species on national wildlife refuges and surrounding lands. It funds on-the-ground conservation projects that provide high conservation benefits. To read more about the Mountain-Prairie2015 projects visit: http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/pressrel/2015/04162015_Updates.php
To learn more about the national CRI program visithttp://www.fws.gov/refuges/whm/cooperativeRecoveryInitiative.html.
