Under the new Private Stewardship Grant program envisioned by President Bush when he was still Texas governor, the Interior Departments U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced 113 grants totaling more than $9.4 million to individuals and groups to undertake conservation projects on private lands in 43 states for endangered, threatened and other at-risk species.
Individual landowners and conservation groups in Illinois will receive more than $154,000 in grant funds.
President Bush originally proposed the creation of the Private Stewardship Grant program during a speech in Lake Tahoe, Nevada in June 2000. The grants announced today, the first ever awarded under the program, will benefit species ranging from the whooping crane in Nebraska to the bald eagle in the state of Washington. Each grant must be matched by at least 10 percent of the total project cost either in non-federal dollars or in-kind contributions.
Conservation, and especially the conservation of imperiled species, must be a partnership between the American people and their government, said Interior Secretary Gale A. Norton. By making these grants, we are empowering citizens to restore habitat on their land and take other steps to protect and recover endangered, threatened and at-risk species.
Judging from the number of truly innovative grant proposals we reviewed, landowners across the U.S. are eager to work with us to conserve at-risk species, said Service Director Steve Williams. We anticipate this public/private partnership will result in significant conservation achievements for wildlife and wildlife habitat.
The Private Stewardship Grants Program provides federal grants on a competitive basis to individuals and groups engaged in voluntary conservation efforts on private lands that benefit federally listed endangered or threatened species, candidate species or other at-risk species. Under this program, private landowners as well as groups working with private landowners are able to submit proposals directly to the Service for funding to support these efforts. President Bush has requested funding of $10 million for this program in 2004.
Private Stewardship Grants funded in Illinois are:
The Nature Conservancy Illinois Chapter: Woody Plant Thinning to Improve Habitat for Targeted Species at Kankakee Sands ($30,350)
This project will help increase the long-term viability of at least 15 at-risk species including Eastern prairie fringed orchid, worded oval sedge, and Regal fritillary by protecting, restoring, and managing habitats on privately owned and protected properties. The project will provide stewardship resources to private landowners who agree to restrict use and development through easements. The project will also enhance and accelerate management activities identified on high priority private lands in Kankakee Sands.
Fox Valley Land Foundation: Managing Habitat for the Threatened Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid in Northern Illinois ($79,500)
This project will increase the size and number of eastern prairie fringed orchid populations on private lands in northern Illinois through management and monitoring activities and managing habitat on sites to support stable or increasing populations.
Private landowner: Canebrake Restoration at Shellbark Bottoms Natural Heritage Landmark, Lawrence County, Illinois ($9,700)
This project will restore 25 acres of canebrake to provide additional habitat for the eastern ribbon snake, copperbelly water snake, Indiana bat and leatherflower populations in southeast Illinois.
Menard County Soil and Water Conservation District: Menard County Loess Hill Prairie Landscape Restoration ($35,000)
Grant funds will be used to initiate restoration of 50 acres of the hill prairie community and the ecological process necessary to ensure the continued health of those communities. The project will include the re-introduction of pale false foxglove, prairie dandelion and clustered broomrape and promote a landscape for metapopulation dynamics of hill prairie species.
For a complete list of Private Partnership Stewardship grant awards, please visit:
