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Tribal Wildlife Grants Information

Tribal Wildlife Grants are used to provide technical and financial assistance to Tribes for the development and implementation of programs that benefit fish and wildlife resources and their habitat. Activities may include, but are not limited to, planning for wildlife and habitat conservation, fish and wildlife conservation and management actions, fish and wildlife related laboratory and field research, natural history studies, habitat mapping, field surveys and population monitoring, habitat preservation, conservation easements, and public education that is relevant to the project. The funds may be used for salaries, equipment, consultant services, subcontracts, acquisitions and travel. View the national page for the Tribal Wildlife Grant program.

We want to ensure that our employees, managers and the public understand that Tribes are not to be treated as though they are alike, or just another stakeholder. Tribes are sovereign governments. Each Tribe has its own unique set of needs, concerns, and interests. Our relationship with tribes extends into perpetuity and is grounded on openness and understanding, patience and flexibility, as well as an appreciation and acceptance that there are no linear solutions or cookbook answers.

Summary of all Tribal Wildlife Grants in the Mountain Prairie Region from 2007 through 2012

Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of Fort Peck (MT)
Protection of the Manning Lake Wetland Complex through Conservation Leases
2009, $199,886, AGO, LCCs, Consultation
This project will secure 25 year conservation leases for 1,280 acres of prime wetland and associated grassland acres within the Manning Lake Wetland Complex in order to manage them for the benefit of habitat and the wildlife that depends on it.

Blackfeet Nation (MT)

Blackfeet Fisheries Management and Native Fish Conservation
2007, $200,000, AGO, Consultation
The purpose of this proposal is to implement a management program to further conservation of native bull trout and Westslope cutthroat trout on the Blackfeet Reservation. The objectives of this proposal are as follows: 1. Hire a fishery biologist for the tribe. 2. Develop and implement a comprehensive tribal fisheries program including implementation of the Blackfeet Bull Trout Management Plan and Conservation Agreement for Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout and Westslope Cutthroat Trout in Montana; 3. Purchase equipment and supplies to execute the sport fisheries plan; 4. Represent the Blackfeet Tribe on the St. Mary Belly River Bull Trout Recovery Team; 5. Represent the Blackfeet Tribe on the Cutthroat Trout Technical Committee; 6. Provide input to the Tribal decision makers on fisheries impacts of various development activities, water right negotiations, timber management plans, oil and gas explorations, and others as necessary.

Blackfeet Nation (MT)
Inventory and Survey of Fish and Herpetofauna in Streams and Rivers on the Reservation
2009, $200,000, AGO, ESA, LCCs, Consultation
This comprehensive inventory and survey of fish and herpetofauna will encompass the streams and rivers of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. In addition to providing new information on species diversity the survey will update the Blackfeet Fisheries Management Plan to further the conservation of native fish populations and habitats and provide for the management of its sport fishery resources consistent with tribal values.

Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (SD)
Black-footed Ferret Habitat, Recovery and Monitoring Supplement
2008, $133,890, ESA, LCCs, Consultation
The purpose of this grant is to begin new work on Black-footed ferret recovery program on the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal lands. The objectives of this proposal are as follows: 1. Inventory 225-275 acres on the reservation and all recovery site complexes of Black-tailed Prairie Dogs; 2. Complete prairie dog density study on all recovery site prairie dog towns; 3. Perform an analytical analysis of all recovery site prairie dog towns and determine habitat suitability index for the same; 4. Obtain serology samples from 30 coyotes for disease analysis; 5. Conduct ferret spotlighting; 6. Attend pertinent Black-footed ferret and prairie dog conferences; 7. Lease one vehicle to support recovery activities.

Cheyenne River Sioux (SD)
Recovery of the Black footed Ferret on the Cheyenne River Reservation
2009, $116,059, ESA, LCCs, Consultation
The Cheyenne River Indian Reservation is one of ten critical sites needed to meet the goal of the Black footed Ferret Recovery Implementation Team, which will contribute to the down listing and eventual delisting of the ferret by 2010. The Cheyenne River Sioux project will conduct the annual Black footed ferret adult and kit spotlight survey.

Chippewa Cree Tribe (MT)
Chippewa Cree Bighorn Sheep Reintroduction Project
2007, $125,000, AGO, Consultation
The objective is to reintroduce and reestablish bighorn sheep on Rocky Boy's Reservation. After a quantitative assessment of habitat, approximately 24 sheep will be captured at a cooperating reservation, transported to Rocky Boy's Reservation, collared, released and monitored. The proposed project will reintroduce bighorn sheep, a tribally significant species, to ancestral lands and to a habitat where they once lived. The restoration will serve to reduce habitat loss as habitat management actions as actions are undertaken to make the vegetation more suitable for bighorn sheep and actions are taken to restrict access to the area where the new population is becoming established. The newly restored species will add to the diversity of the ecosystem, positively affecting other species, and will provide an additional prey source for cougar, bobcat, coyote and black bear. Once the head reaches a viable level, the sale of hunting permits for a small harvest can begin. The revenue gain by these sales will be utilized to sustain fish and wildlife activities on reservation lands.

Chippewa Cree at Rocky Boys (MT)
Inter tribal Cougar Monitoring Project
2009, $199,968, AGO, LCCs, Consultation
Cougars are a tribally significant species and the Chippewa Cree are working hard to ensure their continued existence on tribal lands. This monitoring study will capture, collar and monitor a minimum of six cougars. Data will be gathered to better understand cougar habitat, predation, disease, reproduction and home ranges. Guidelines will be developed to include harvest strategies, habitat maintenance information and potential ordinances and enforcement plans.

Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (MT)
Grizzly Bear and Northern Gray Wolf Management on the Flathead Indian Reservation
2007, $64, 850, AGO, ESA, LCCs, Consultation
The objectives of this grant award are to conduct management to ensure conservation of grizzly bears and wolves as well as to increase the Tribe's capability of doing so. Activities will include capture, radio tagging, and monitoring bears, responding to conflict situations, and conducting public outreach activities to better educate the public in conflict avoidance. The ultimate benefit of this grant award will be increased capability to manage and sustain grizzly bears and wolves on reservation lands and to increase public tolerance of those species.

Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (MT)
Bat Conservation on the Flathead Indian Reservation
2007, $57,287, LCCs, Consultation
The objectives of this grant are to: (1) collect baseline information necessary to prioritize bat management on the Reservation; (2) protect and enhance bat habitat features; and (3) educate the public about the importance of bat conservation. The project will contribute toward the ultimate goal of conserving bat species diversity and maintaining healthy bat populations. If the project is successful, it will provide long-term benefits to at least eight species of bats, including the rare Townsend's big eared bat.

Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (MT)
Monitoring of Wildlife at Highway Crossing
2010, $200,000, AGO, Consultation
There are two components to this grant. The first is to address the need to monitor newly constructed wildlife crossing structures for use as safe movement corridors across U.S. Highway 93 on the Flathead Indian Reservation (FIR). Objectives are to:1) observe and document the occurrence of wildlife using newly installed crossing structures; and 2) document specific species, including rare species such as grizzly bears and wolves, using the wildlife crossing structures on US 93. The second component is to address more effective management of bear-human conflicts on the FIR. Objectives are to: 1) reduce human/bear conflicts; 2) reduce number of bears removed from the population each year; and 3) reduce human safety concerns.

Crow Tribe-Apsaalooke Nation (MT)
Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout Conservation and Restoration Program
2008, $200,000, AGO, Consultation
The purpose of this grant proposal is the implementation of a Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout Conservation and Restoration Program on the Crow Reservation. The objectives of this proposal are as follows: 1. Survey all unsurveyed cold water stream habitats on the Crow Reservation for the presence of pure Yellowstone cutthroat trout and determine their distribution and abundance; 2. Survey streams for effective fish barriers and potential barrier locations and map using hand-held GPS units. The project is located on the 2.28 million acres of the Crow Indian Reservation in south central Montana within Bighorn and Yellowstone Counties. These objectives will be met by completion of the following tasks: 1. hiring a Tribal fisheries technician,; 2. development of sampling protocols and sampling calendar; 3. purchase of equipment and supplies to execute plans; 4. obtain tribal permits,; 5. conduct field work; 6. submit fish tissue to lab for analysis; 7. maintenance and storage of equipment; and, 8. progress report writing and submission.

Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes (MT)
Restoration of Swift Fox on Fort Peck Indian Reservation and Northeastern Montana
2008, $197,000, AGO, ESA, LCCs, Consultation
The objectives of this project are to: (1) determine presence and distribution of swift fox on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation (FPIR) (baseline completed in Phase I, surveys ongoing in Phase II); (2) determine factors associated with swift fox population dynamics on and around the FPIR; (3) estimate factors associated with swift fox population dynamics, potential for population expansion, and ecological factors determining this: (4) estimate limiting factors for swift fox on and around FPIR; (5) develop management recommendations to enhance swift fox restoration, including role of habitat protection, fox translocation and predator mitigation; (6) establish a founding population of fox on the FPIR that has a high probability of long-term persistence; (7) evaluate the role of swift foxes as a flagship and umbrella species for conservation of prairie biodiversity on the FPIR; and (8) develop long-term swift fox monitoring plan that uses foxes as an indicator to monitor integrity of the prairie ecosystem on FPIR.

Goshute Tribe (UT)
Wildlife Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation
2011, $167,269, LCCs, Consultation
The Goshute Tribe will evaluate potential impacts to wildlife on its ancestral lands from climate change and the Southern Nevada Water Authority's proposal to pump groundwater from the tribe's region to greater Las Vegas. The Goshute Tribes' reservation is located in the Deep Creek Mountains along the border of Utah and Nevada. As part of the project, groundwater extraction vulnerability assessments will utilize existing climate change assessments recently conducted by the state of Nevada. Round River Conservation Studies, a nongovernmental organization focused on education and science, and based in Utah, along with others are partnering with the Goshute Tribes on the project.

Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Tribes (MT)
Eagle Rehabilitation Program
2012, $200,000, Consultation

Lower Brule Sioux Tribe (SD)
Research and Management of Black-footed Ferrets and Prairie Dogs; Balancing Culture, Conservation and Conflict
2008, $200,000, ESA, LCCs, Consultation
The objectives of the grant award are to (1) continue the re-establishment of a viable black-footed ferret population on the Lower Brule Indian
Reservation; (2) measure space use of black-footed ferrets in small black-tailed prairie dog complexes and relate territory size, colony size, and carrying capacity; (3) measure space use by female ferrets and compare the degree of overlap with offspring and unrelated ferrets; (4) measure space use and resource overlap between black-footed ferrets and badgers; (5) measure and relate ferret productivity, prairie dog productivity and forage productivity; and (6) implement non-lethal methods of prairie dog control and habitat restoration to reduce human conflict. The project will further the Tribe's efforts to re-establish a viable population on Tribal land. In addition, the research component of the project will increase the understanding of habitat relationships, and inter, and intraspecific interactions. It is hoped that the project will demonstrate and explain why ferrets can be re-established on smaller prairie dog complexes which could show that such sites are candidates for ferret restoration. Furthermore, the project should demonstrate that responsible, proactive management of prairie dogs can be done and accomplished in a culturally sensitive manner that reduces land use conflict on the reservation.

Lower Brule Sioux (SD)
Sylvatic Plague Contingency Plan
2009, $24,450, ESA, Consultation
The goal of this project is to protect the Tribe's Black-footed ferret population in the event of a sylvatic plague epizootic.

Oglala Sioux Tribe (SD)
Kit Fox (Swift Fox) Society
2008, 200,000, ESA, LCCs, Consultation
The objective of this project is to translocate and reintroduce swift foxes to the Pine Ridge Reservation and to monitor the effort over a two-year period. Specifically, the project seeks to: (1) refine the six suitable sites for swift fox reintroduction; (2) work with other states and/or Cochran Institute in Canada to find a location that allows the Tribe to trap and translocate foxes without a significant impact to the supporting population; (3) trap and translocate 40-60 swift foxes over a two-year period to a secured location on the Pine Ridge Reservation, and (4) monitor the swift fox that have been released on the Reservation to assess movements, mortality rates and causes, dispersion, denning sites, and habitat use, and reproductive success. The benefits of the project will be reestablishment of the swift fox in this part of its range and increase the availability of data on the behavior, ecology and habitat requirements for management and conservation strategies. In addition, restoration of this animal will provide an important cultural link to traditional Lakota spiritual practices that include the swift fox and provide opportunities to educate residents of the reservation about this species.

Oglala Sioux Tribe (SD)
Mako Sica (Badlands) Bighorn Sheep Population and Habitat on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation
2009, $200,000, AGO, LCCs, Consultation
This project will determine local herd dynamics and habitat use of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep located within the boundaries of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The project includes a comprehensive study, population augmentation, development of a management plan, and evaluation of the potential for a sustained harvest.

Oglala Sioux Tribe (SD)
Study of the Wahupe Oyate Hena
2010, $199,610, LCCs, Consultation
The first objective is to develop a comprehensive management plan for birds of concern and bat species on the Reservation. The second objective is to promote natural resource education and conservation on the Reservation. The third objective is to develop a risk assessment protocol for construction projects on the Reservation.

Paiute (UT)
Protective Fencing
2011, $192,927, AGO, Consultation
This initiative is a wildlife improvement project on 2,468 acres of reservation land in Utah Division of Wildlife's Panguich Lake Deer Management Unit in Iron County. The project will improve wildlife protection facilities and grazing capacity by upgrading the fencing along three-and--one-half acres of the reservation's boundary. The improved fencing is intended to reduce wildlife-automobile impact accidents. Through the use of best management practices, the Paiute Tribe will also improve habitat for wildlife, especially deer, elk, turkeys and grouse, as part of the project.

Prairie Band Potawatomi (KS)
Buffalo Environment Preservation Project
2012, $133,645, AGO, LCCs, Consultation

Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa-Meskwaki (IA)
Meskwaki Buffalo Herd and Prairie Restoration
2008, $195,195, LCCs, Consultation
The Meskwaki will use a grant of $195,195 and a match of $171,092 to study the bison herd and implement historic natural prairie restoration measures on tribal lands.

Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate (SD)
Diversity/Abundance of Amphibians, Northern Leopard Frog
2010, $101,138, AGO, LCCs, Consultation
Conduct historical investigations, develop biological databases, develop biological principles and techniques and follow the guidelines of the federal government in order to wisely develop individual management and conservation plans for indigenous aquatic species

Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate (SD)
Small Mammal Population Study
2010, $95,996, LCCs, Consultation
To conduct non-invasive field surveys of small mammals and their habitat and create a management plan on the Sisseton-Wahpeton Indian Reservation in South Dakota and North Dakota.

Southern Ute Indian Tribe (CO)
Roundtail Chub Conservation Management
2012, $186,707, ESA, LCCs, Consultation
The endangered Roundtail chub is found throughout the Colorado River basin from Colorado and Wyoming to the northern Sonora. The Southern Ute Indian Tribe Wildlife department is taking measures to insure the stability of chub populations in reservation riverine habitats. Targeted sites will include typically open areas in the deepest pools and eddies of middle sized to larger streams.

Spirit Lake Nation (ND)
Management Plans, Wildlife Data and Regulations
2012, $200,000, Consultation

Winnebago Tribe (NE)
Wetland Communities
2011, $108,413, Consultation

Winnebago Tribe (NE)
Baseline Flora Surveys
2011, $91,489, Consultation

Yankton Sioux Tribe (SD)
Emergent Sandbar Habitat Management
2010, $200,000, LCCs, Consultation
This project aims to identify potential least tern and piping plover habitat to attain the tribal goal of 20 acres of emergent sandbar habitat per river mile. On all identified emergent sandbar habitats the Tribe will monitor vegetation and control predation. Mechanical removal of vegetation and application of herbicide to emergent sandbar habitat will help to control vegetative re-growth on the 36-acre sandbar island complex at Missouri River.

 

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The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with Others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American People. All Images Credit to and Courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Unless Specified Otherwise.