The Migratory Bird Conservation Commission recently approved a $1 million grant under the North American Wetland Conservation Act (NAWCA) for a project called Lewis and Clark Floodplain Heritage Partnership, phase III. 

The project is within the boundaries of the Upper Mississippi River and Great Lakes Region Joint Venture and the MO Department of Conservation (MDC) will be responsible for administering the grant locally.  This effort will focus on 15 counties in Missouri and will result in the acquisition and enhancement of 3,315 acres of emergent and forested wetlands. 

The NAWCA Grants Program requires, at a minimum, the grant amount to be matched with non-federal contributions.  This is typically accomplished by partners from State, Tribal and other non-governmental organizations.  The non-federal partners contributed $4.69 million and an additional $598,700 was contributed by federal partners.  Contributions of 10 percent or more of the grant amount were made by the MDC, Ducks Unlimited and Ducks Unlimited Easements, Helen Wiese Estate-MDC and Wilke Land Company.

The acquisition and enhancement of wildlife habitats associated with this proposal will advance the goals identified in the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, Upper Mississippi River and Great Lakes Region Joint Venture Implementation Plan, U.S. Shorebird Plan, Partners in Flight, and the North American Waterbird Conservation Plan.  These actions will provide important breeding and migration habitat for priority birds such as Mallards, Wood ducks, and Lesser scaup.  Other non-waterfowl priority species that will benefit from the additional migration habitat that will be protected and enhanced are American bitterns, Stilt sandpipers, Wilson’s phalarope and Sedge wrens.