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.
Private landowners in Wisconsin received more than $330,000 to restore and protect 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 Wisconsin are:
The Prairie Enthusiast: Prairie Recovery in Southern Wisconsin ($198,030)
This project will restore 13 high priority prairie remnants of original prairie supporting conservation efforts for 33 listed species including prairie bush clover, prairie white-fringed orchid and Meads milkweed on privately owned land in southern Wisconsin.
Mississippi Valley Conservancy, Inc.: Mississippi River Blufflands and Prairie Restoration in Southwest Wisconsin ($72,124)
Grant funds will help enhance and increase available habitat for 28 state listed goat prairie species including yellow giant hyssop, cliff goldenrod and Bells vireo in the Mississippi River valley in southwest Wisconsin.
West Wisconsin Land Trust, Inc.: Remnant Prairie Enhancement and Expansion ($60,800)
This project provides stewardship for landowner groups within the goat prairie and floodplain forest landscape in western Wisconsin. Habitat conditions in these prairie remnants currently protected under conservation easements will be enhanced through management activities to benefit these at-risk species including snowy campion, prairie bush clover and rough rattlesnake root.
For a complete list of Private Partnership Stewardship grant awards, please visit:
