Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program
Initiated in Texas in 1990, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife (PFW) program restores and enhances fish and wildlife habitat on private lands. The PFW program initially targeted wetland habitat for restoration and enhancement work. However, the success of this landowner friendly program encouraged the Service to expand it to benefit habitats for all federal trust resources, including waterfowl, other migratory birds, and candidate, threatened, and endangered species. Projects generally involve wetland, native prairie, and/or riparian restoration activities. The PFW program provides cost-sharing and technical assistance to non-federal landowners, including private landowners, local governments, native American tribes, educational institutions, and other entities.
Restoration accomplishments -- 1987 to 2002: 639,560 acres of wetlands, 1,069,660 acres of prairie and other uplands, 4,740 miles of streamside and in-stream habitat, and 28,725 landowner agreements.
Throughout the State, the PFW program has also participated in projects seeking to educate the public regarding the benefits of wetland and other wildlife habitat by providing funds used to develop outdoor environmental classrooms.
The PFW program has been very well received by participating private landowners, known as Cooperators. In fact, many interested landowners remain on field office waiting lists at the end of each fiscal year. Several Cooperators have been honored as recipients of National and Regional wetland stewardship awards and also with local "Wildlife Conservationists" awards. A close working relationship often exists with personnel from the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), local Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas Forest Service, other government agencies, and private organizations such as Ducks Unlimited.
APPLICATION AND APPROVAL PROCESS:
1. Landowner, NRCS personnel, etc. contacts appropriate FWS field office.
2. FWS conducts a site visit, often with NRCS representative.
3. Proposed project developed with landowner, often with NRCS input - especially if engineering required.
4. Private Lands Agreement which stipulates FWS/ landowner’s cost-shares, project design, and management plan is signed by landowner and submitted to FWS field office.
5. Once the project is approved at the field office level and based upon the availability of funds, the Agreement is sent to the Regional office (Albuquerque, NM) for final approval, archaeological clearance (if necessary), and other processing.
6. Landowner receives signed agreement from FWS regional office; project construction may begin.
7. Landowner reimbursed cost-share amount after project completed.
PROGRAM CONTACT: Ron Jones 17629 El Camino Real, Suite 211, Houston, Texas 77058 Phone: (281) 286-8282
Click here to download above mentioned PFW information in PDF format.
USFWS Partners for F&W Program