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 Ohio received more than $120,000 to restore and conserve wildlife habitat.
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 Ohio are:
Private landowner: Protection of the State Threatened Plant Ravens Foot Sedge in a Private Class One Forest Wetland ($8,203)
This project will erect and maintain a perimeter fence around a class one forested wetland. The fencing will restrict the area from grazing and will enhance habitat conditions for the Ravens foot sedge.
The Nature Conservancy Ohio Chapter: Oak Openings Habitat Restoration at the Kitty Todd Preserve ($86,711)
This project will restore 40 acres of black oak lupine barrens and 20 acres of twig-rush wet prairie within the Kitty Todd Preserve to support Karner blue butterfly, Persius dusky wing, frosted elfin and Edwards hairstreak conservation.
Purdue University: Phase I Landscape Scale Habitat Restoration for the Copperbelly Water Snake and Associated Species in NE Indiana and NW Ohio ($26,400)
Grant funds will be used to cut drainage tiles, construct ditch plugs, and excavate shallow basins for habitat for the northern population copperbelly water snakes, Blandings turtle, spotted turtle and Blanchards cricket frog.
For a complete list of Private Partnership Stewardship grant awards, please visit:
