The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Alaska Region is soliciting proposals for funding under the Private Stewardship Grants Program. This program provides funding for projects carried out by individuals and groups to conserve imperiled or at-risk species on private lands. Since 2003, this program has funded ten projects across Alaska, including an effort to restore Steller's eider habitat near Barrow, a salmon restoration project on Anchorage's Chester Creek, and a project designed to protect rare plants near Yakutat. Alaska grant awards have ranged from $18,000 to $176,000.
Now in its third year, the Private Stewardship Grants Program is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to assist voluntary conservation efforts on private lands. "We welcome the opportunity to help our partners conserve at-risk species," said Rowan Gould, the Service's Alaska Regional Director.
To be eligible, projects must be voluntary conservation efforts carried out on private lands (including lands owned by Alaska Native Corporations). The projects must benefit imperiled species or species of concern, such as, but not limited to, species listed or being considered for listing under the Federal or State Endangered Species Acts. A minimum of 10% of the cost of the project must be provided by non-Federal sources.
Proposals must be received at the Service's Anchorage Regional Office (see the address below) by March 21, 2005. For more information on this grant program you may contact Michael Roy at (907) 786-3925 or write to Endangered Species Program, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1011 E. Tudor Rd., Anchorage, Alaska 99503. Application guidelines can be found on the Service's website at http://endangered.fws.gov/grants/private_stewardship/FY2005/PSGP_2005_fultext.pdf.
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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 544 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 and Native American tribal governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
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