Through the cooperation of thousands of private landowners, the Partners for Fish and Wildlife (PFW) program continued its growth during 1999. This popular U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) program assists landowners with restoring important fish and wildlife habitats throughout the United States.
Since 1987 the PFW program has worked with private landowners who have voluntarily offered their drained, degraded and marginal wetlands and soils to be restored for fish and wildlife habitats. Objectives of the PFW program are:
To restore important wetlands, associated uplands and stream corridors for the benefit of migratory birds, endangered species and native fish and wildlife species on private, non-federal and tribal lands.
To assist a net gain in Americas wetland-acreage base and wetland dependent fish and wildlife species through on-the-ground project implementation.
To encourage the cooperation of non-federal partners to cost-share the expenses of many restoration projects.
Since PFW began, more than 21,500 landowners have voluntarily participated nation-wide. More than 464,000 acres of important wetlands, 447,000 acres of associated uplands and 2,700 miles of riparian riparian
Definition of riparian habitat or riparian areas.
Learn more about riparian and in-stream aquatic habitat have been restored.
During 1999, at least 55,000 acres of wetlands, 106,000 acres of native uplands, 700 miles of riparian and in-stream habitat and 8,500 acres of additional trust-species habitats were restored for almost 2,300 landowners on more than 4,000 sites.
In the Upper Midwest, biologists for the Services Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region (Region) were responsible for restoring more than 1,000 wetland basins amounting to over 4,200 acres. Additionally, more than 6,800 acres of upland habitat, including more than 3,200 acres of native grasses and wildflowers, 57 acres of bottomland timber and 11 miles of riparian and in stream habitats were restored.
The Great Lakes-Big Rivers has been the national leader in the Partners for Fish and Wildlife program since 1987, thanks to our dedicated, skilled professional fish and wildlife biologists who provide technical assistance to hundreds of private landowners during the year, observed Regional Director Bill Hartwig.
Since this program began, thousands of private landowners have provided our biologists the opportunity to restore important fish and wildlife habitats. Because of the unselfish conservation ethic of these landowners, fish and wildlife habitats have been restored in locations where they had been destroyed more than 100 years ago.
To complete these cooperative projects on the local level, fish and wildlife biologists have been supported by state fish and wildlife agencies, conservation organizations and individuals whose generous contributions of financial and in-kind services have cost-shared many of the habitats restored.
Through the PFW program, the Service provides funds, technical assistance and equipment to conduct habitat-restoration projects throughout the Region. Since 1987 almost 80,000 acres of wetlands and more than 48,000 of associated uplands have been restored in the Regions eight states.
Wetland Restoration Summary 1987-1999
| State | IA | IL | IN | MI | MN | MO | OH | WI | Total |
| Basins Restored | 1,156 | 250 | 1,006 | 1,224 | 11,405 | 240 | 379 | 4,030 | 19,690 |
| Acres Restored | 6,572 | 3,619 | 5,481 | 4,950 | 38,429 | 7,873 | 2,203 | 10,099 | 79,015 |
Restoration Acreage Restored 1987-1999
| State | IA | IL | IN | MI | MN | MO | OH | WI | Total |
| Acres Restored | 1,221 | 200 | 927 | 376 | 10,751 | 2,426 | 1,181 | 5,444 | 48,184 |
During the history of the PFW program, more than 4,200 landowners have voluntarily signed development agreements with the Service. These agreements allow landowners to receive free cost-share assistance from the Service for their restoration projects, protect the restored habitats for not less than 10 years and secure the financial investments collectively shared by the Service and its partners.
For the landowners, voluntary participation allows them to retain all previous ownership rights and responsibilities, including the right to limit public access, on their restored habitats.
Contributions from partners during 1999, including funds and in-kinds services such as labor and equipment, resulted in the restoration of, for the first time since the program began, more upland than wetland acres.
Of the 6,851 upland acres restored, more than 3,200 acres were planted with native grasses and wildflowers on 333 private sites. Additionally, 57 acres of bottomland timber were restored on seven sites and more than 11 miles of stream and riparian habitat projects were completed.
Since 1987, the Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region has restored almost 79,000 acres of wetlands, or nearly 17 percent of the total wetland acreage restored nationally. During 1999, at least 1,000 wetland basins amounting to more than 4,200 wetland acres were restored in the Region.
Although PFW is generally noted for restoring important fish and wildlife habitats, additional soil and water conservation values associated with this program include the improvement of groundwater quality by reducing runoff and soil erosion; water retention in wetland basins to reduce flooding and recharge groundwater supplies; enhanced recreational opportunities; conservation education; and improved economic opportunities for local communities, units of government and individuals.
For specific information on the Partners for Fish and Wildlife program, landowners in the Upper Midwest should contact their local Service field station.
Landowners and partners may also receive information through the Services Branch of Private Lands in the Regional Office by contacting Steve Kufrin at 612-713-5447.
