Interior Secretary Gale Norton today announced that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is awarding 79 grants, totaling nearly $14 million, to help 60 federally recognized Indian tribes conserve and recover endangered, threatened and at-risk species and other wildlife on tribal lands.
In its Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region, the Service is awarding nearly $3 million to 14 tribes in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin for 21 projects.
The Service is awarding the grants under two new cost-share programs, the Tribal Landowner Incentive Program (TLIP) and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program (TWG). These programs are similar to cost-share programs recently developed by the department to assist states, local communities, private landowners and other partners undertake wildlife conservation projects.
This is the first year for these tribal grants programs. However, last year the department provided $34.8 million in grants to states under the new Landowner Incentive Program to assist private landowners in conserving and restoring the habitat of endangered species and other at-risk plants and animals on their property. The program was modeled after a successful program implemented by President Bush in Texas when he was governor.
“ Native Americans have a unique relationship to and understanding of the land and its wildlife,” Norton said. “As part of the President’s overall Cooperative Conservation Initiative, the Interior Department is providing these grants to build on our partnership with the tribes to conserve tribal land and recover the wildlife, especially those species that are in decline.”
Of the $14 million, the Service is providing about $4 million to federally recognized Indian tribes to help fund 23 projects under TLIP. Contributions from tribes and other partners raise the total value of these projects to $6.8 million. The grants were chosen through a competitive process to address tribal needs for the protection, restoration, and management of habitat to benefit at-risk species, including federally listed endangered or threatened species and proposed or candidate species.
The maximum award under this program is $200,000 with a required minimum 25 percent match from non-federal funds.
Meanwhile, about $10 million will help fund 56 projects under TWG. Contributions from tribes and other partners increase the total value of these projects to $12.4 million. These grants are awarded to federally recognized Indian tribes to benefit fish, wildlife, and their habitat including non-game species. Although matching funds are not required for these grants, they are considered to be an indicator of a tribe’s commitment. The maximum grant award under this program is $250,000.
“ Indian peoples were North America’s first stewards,” said Fish and Wildlife Service Director Steve Williams. “For generations, they have lived close to nature, depending on wildlife for economic, cultural, and spiritual fulfillment. The Service, through these two special grant programs, will strengthen its conservation partnerships with tribes across the United States on behalf of traditionally important wildlife species and their habitat.”
Indians and Indian tribes have a controlling interest in more than 52 million acres of tribal trust lands and in an additional 40 million acres held by Alaska native corporations.
“ Indian country harbors vast pristine habitats, marked by a representation of an entire continental array of fish and wildlife species,” said Ira New Breast, executive director of the Native American Fish and Wildlife Society. “The two Service grant programs will work to further raise the capacity of Indian people to meet the dynamic challenges facing sustainable Tribal management of this country’s fish and wildlife resources.”
“The grant awards that we announce today reflect the vital role of tribes in natural resource management,” said Robyn Thorson, regional director for the Service’s Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region. “Tribal identification of priority projects brings nearly $3 million to benefit tribal fish and wildlife resources. I commend tribes, Service biologists and Bureau of Indian Affairs personnel for this cooperative effort. They have opened the path for future funding opportunities.”
Tribal Wildlife Grants awarded in the Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region are:
Tribes in Michigan
Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Suttons Bay, MI $160,000
Evaluate and Enhance American Martin and Other Predatory Furbearer PopulationsKeweenaw Bay Indian Community, Baraga, MI $120,000
Native Fish Species Projects on the LAnse Indian Reservation and Adjacent WatersLittle River Band of Ottawa Indians, Manistee, MI $133,500
Assessment of Riparian Habitat Restoration in the Manistee River CorridorNottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi, Fulton, MI $249,839
Comprehensive Wildlife Management Plan - 3 projects (Plan, Greenhouse & Invasive Species Control)
Tribes in Minnesota
Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Cloquet, MN $133,150
Moose Population Dynamics and Census Techniques Research
Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Cloquet, MN $60,920
Angler Exploitation of Select Walleye Populations in the 1854 Ceded Territory of MNFond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Cloquet, MN $42,506
Sturgeon Population Study on the upper St. Louis RiverGrand Portage Band of Chippewa Indians, Grand Portage, MN $104,025
Continued Assessment and Rehabilitation of Native, At Risk Species in Lake Superior and Adjoining Tributaries in and around the Area of Grand Portage, MN including the Pigeon River and BayLeech Lake Band of Ojibwe Indians, Cass Lake, MN $209,708
Wildlife Habitat Assessment with an Emphasis on Rare and Culturally Important Species, including Wild Rice InventoryRed Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, Red Lake, MN $247,007
Red Lake Wildlife Habitat Preservation and Maintenance, Enhancement and Evaluation Project
Tribes in Wisconsin
Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Odanah, WI $147,784
Restoration of the Raymond "Snooty" Couture Fish Hatchery and Rearing PondsHo-Chunk Nation, Black River Falls, WI $50,000
Monitoring and Management of Gray Wolf (Canus lupus) in the Central Forest Region of WILac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Hayward, WI $249,800
LCO Fisheries Program Development including Lake and Stream Surveys
Lac du Flambeau Band Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Lac du Flambeau, WI $120,330Lac du Flambeau Lake Sturgeon Restoration Project on the Lac du Flambeau Chain of Lakes and Bear River
Menominee Indian Tribe, Keshena, WI $91,031
Lake Sturgeon Restoration ProjectMenominee Indian Tribe, Keshena, WI $55,986
Timber Wolf ReintroductionStockbridge-Munsee Community, Bowler, WI $250,000
Stockbridge - Munsee Fish and Wildlife project
Tribal Landowner Incentive Program Grants awarded in the Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region are:
Tribes in Michigan
Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Manistee, MI $137,644
Study the Status and Habitat Use of Bobcat, Lynx rufus, in the Northern Counties of MI
Tribes in Minnesota
Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Cloquet, MN $200,000
Fond du Lac Wild Rice Restoration Project - 4 LakesGrand Portage Band of Chippewa Indians, Grand Portage, MN $84,911
Wetland and Wild Rice Restoration on Grand Portage Tribal Lands, Grand Portage, MNLeech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Cass Lake, MN $133,858
Rare, Threatened, and Endangered Species Habitat Enhancement and Wetland Projects
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 542 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
