Grants

Private Stewardship Grants

2007 Funded Projects in the Upper Midwest

News Release: Endangered Species Grants Boost Conservation Efforts On Private Lands In The Midwest (May 15, 2007)

 

INDIANA
Please See Multi-state Proposals at bottom of page

 

IOWA
Topeka Shiner Recovery and Habitat Restoration - (application by Private Landowner) – Calhoun County, Iowa – ($18,040)
The landowners will restore Topeka shiner habitat as well as a nine-acre prairie adjacent to Lake Creek in north-central Iowa. The landowners have identified two off-channel floodplain habitats that will be excavated to ensure connectivity to the Creek at the 2-year flood event. This will fulfill specific spawning and requirements of the Topeka shiner, as well as provide refuge during drought conditions. The prairie restoration is expected to benefit the three at-risk butterflies: Regal fritillary, Powesheik skipperling, and the Silvery blue.

 

Restore Native Prairie and Oak Savanna Communities In the Little Sioux Watershed in Northwest Iowa – (application by Iowa Lakes Resource Conservation and Development, Inc.) – Buena Vista, Cherokee, Clay, Dickinson, and O’Brien Counties, Iowa – ($81,000*)
This project will provide on-the-ground funds for restoration activities for at least eight landowners within the Little Sioux Watershed benefiting about 350 acres of native remnant prairie habitat. Species benefiting from the restoration activities include the Western prairie fringed orchid, Prairie bush clover, Topeka shiner, Dakota skipper, and approximately 40 at-risk species. This is a collaborative project including The Nature Conservancy, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, local County Conservation Boards, local Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and Natural Resources Conservation Services.

Please Also See Multi-state Proposals

 

MICHIGAN
Restoring Southeast Michigan’s High Diversity Landscapes Through Collaborative Stewardship – (application by The Nature Conservancy) – Hillsdale, Jackson, Lenawee, Oakland, and Washtenaw Counties, Michigan – ($64,450)
This project implements intensive stewardship to control invasive plants and prescribed burning aimed at securing existing habitat for Mitchell’s satyr, copperbelly water snake, Indiana bat, clubshell, Eastern massasauga rattlesnake, as well as at least 12 other at-risk species. Stewardship activities will be completed on at least 15 private landowner properties preventing habitat degradation on at least 500 acres and restoring at least 50 acres of habitat previously used by at-risk species.

 

MINNESOTA
Imperiled Species Conservation on Private Land in Western Minnesota – (application by Friends of Morris Wetland Management District) –
Kandiyohi and Yellow Medicine Counties, Minnesota – ($40,304*)
Friends of the Morris Wetland Management District will work with at least 5 private landowners to remove woody cover in order to enhance and restore native prairie habitats to benefit greater prairie chicken, marbled godwit, short-eared owl, Henslow's sparrow, Dakota skipper and western prairie fringed orchid. Approximately 600 acres have been identified for clearing.

 

MISSOURI
Mystic Plains Native Prairie Revival – (application by Missouri Prairie Foundation) – Adair and Sullivan Counties, Missouri – ($70,000)
The Missouri Prairie Foundation will work with several landowners to restore prairie habitat by removing cedars and other woody species, purchase haying and grazing rights from landowners, controlled burning more than 100 acres, and restore 100 acres of prairie through a forb-rich native planting. Applying these tools will directly benefit Mead’s milkweed and at least 5 at-risk species including the state endangered Greater prairie chicken.

 

Please Also See Multi-state Proposals

 

OHIO
Oak Savanna, Mesic Prairie, Midwest Sand Barren, Twig Rush Wet Prairie Restoration Project at the Kitty Todd Preserve – (The Nature Conservancy) – Lucas County, Ohio – ($40,000*)
The Kitty Todd Preserve will restore 55 acres of black oak lupine barrens, 20 acres of mesic sand tallgrass prairie, and 10 acres of sand barrens for the endangered Karner blue butterfly. The Kitty Todd Preserve is the only known location in Ohio for the Karner blue butterfly.

Please Also See Multi-state Proposals

 

WISCONSIN
Karner Blue Butterfly and Associated Declining Species – (application by Sand County Foundation) – Adams, Green Lake, Jackson, Juneau, Marquette, Monroe, Outagamie, Portage, Waupaca, Waushara, and Wood Counties, Wisconsin – ($137,600*)
Working in partnership with 22 landowners, 440 acres of habitat will be enhanced and restored through invasive species control, prescribed fire, tree canopy reductions, and native prairie seeding. The private lands are in areas where recovery and conservation of the species are likely to be achieved. The areas have been identified in the Recovery Units in the Karner Blue Butterfly Recovery Plan and as Significant Population Areas and Areas of Conservation Emphasis in the Statewide HCP. It is estimated 56 at-risk species will benefit from this project including the prairie bush clover, Karner blue butterfly, Hill’s thistle, and eastern massasauga. The Sand County Foundation will work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program to develop agreements with private landowners.

 

Waumandee Creek Farm: A Prairie and Savanna Restoration – (application by Private Landowner) – Buffalo County, Wisconsin – ($21,000*)
This landowner will clear invading forest species on 28 acres in 4 locations to restore the critically imperiled oak savanna habitat. It is estimated the restoration will benefit at least seven at-risk species including white gentian, cliff goldenrod, dusted skipper and the dusty wing skipper.

 

Habitat Restoration for Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid – (application by Private Landowner) – Rock County, Wisconsin – ($23,000)
These adjoining neighbors will maintain, improve, and expand habitat for the Eastern prairie fringed orchid on this 476 acre area. Improvements in habitat will be through brush and tree removal, exotic species control, and seeding of native species to compete with invasive exotics. This project will affect over 50% of the known blooming orchids on private land in Wisconsin and directly meets the recovery actions outlined in the species recovery plan.

 

Multi-State Projects

INDIANA/MICHIGAN/OHIO
Reforestation and Wetland Restoration for Permanent Native Habitat in the St. Joseph River Watershed – (application by St. Joseph River Watershed Initiative Partnership) – Hillsdale County, Michigan; Defiance and Williams Counties, Ohio; Allen, Dekalb, and Noble Counties, Indiana – ($45,000*)
The St. Joseph River Watershed Initiative Partnership will protect, restore and enhance wetland and forest habitat in the St. Joseph River Watershed to benefit the Copperbelly water snake, Indiana bat, clubshell, white cat's pearlymussel, Northern riffleshell, and the Eastern massasauga rattlesnake, as well as 5 other at-risk species. The initiative has identified at least 14 landowners where nearly 140 acres of reforestation will occur to connect wetland corridor habitat for these species.

 

IOWA/MISSOURI
Southern Iowa Oak Savanna and Grand River Grassland Cooperative Restoration Initiative – (application by Decatur County Conservation Board) – Clarke, Decatur and Lucas Counties, Iowa; Ringgold County, Missouri – ($193,625*)
This project will restore, maintain, and protect high quality native oak savanna and tallgrass prairie ecosystem within southern Iowa and northern Missouri. Project features will be implemented through several partners including the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Missouri Department of Conservation, Decatur County, Iowa State University, Southern Iowa Oak Savanna Alliance, and The Nature Conservancy. The partners will provide landowners with several methods of oak savanna habitat enhancement including mechanical brush removal, prescribed fire, grazing, invasive species removal, and native species establishment. These practices will benefit the Indiana bat, Topeka shiner, Mead's milkweed, western prairie fringed orchid, and at least 14 other at risk species.

 

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