The Driftless Area Restoration Effort, coordinated by Trout Unlimited, has been busy this past year organizing and building partnership capacity.  

It is one of five partnerships working in support of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan (NFHAP), a nationwide effort to protect, restore and enhance the nation’s fish and aquatic communities through partnerships that foster fish habitat conservation and improve the quality of life for the American people.  

This geographically focused partnership consists of Trout Unlimited, Department of Natural Resources from MN, IA, IL, and WI, USFWS, USGS, the Driftless Area Initiative, local government, NGOs, Universities, and others.  Goals of the partnership include reducing sediment inputs to rivers and streams within the Driftless Area, protecting, restoring and enhancing riparian and in-stream habitat for fish and other aquatic species, and promoting a regional identity through outreach and education. 

The partnership will be working hard to strategically link steam restoration efforts with upland conservation efforts.  DARE, along with the other four pilot partnerships, is seeking formal recognition as a national fish habitat partnership by the NFHAP Board, the governing body of the program. 

The primary task for the partnership this year will be to develop a strategic plan to help guide protection and restoration efforts in the 24,000 sq mile area. 

As the partnership continues to gain momentum, on-the ground projects are already underway.  The pilot partnership received $100,000 in 2006, funding a riparian restoration project at West Indian Creek in Wabasha County, Minnesota and other NFHAP projects in Iowa and Wisconsin.  

These projects will be completed in 2008.  Information about the National Fish Habitat Action Plan can be located at http://www.fishhabitat.org and information about TUDARE can be found at http://www.tu.org.