I
MIGRATORY BIRD CONSERVATION COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C.
PROGRAM FOR CONSIDERATION ON
April 20, 2016
A. Migratory Bird Conservation Act Proposals
1. Neches River National Wildlife Refuge, Texas 2. Cache River National Wildlife Refuge, Arkansas 3. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, Washington 4. Tulare Basin Wildlife Management Area, California 5. Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge, Maine 6. Willow Creek-Lurline National Wildlife Refuge, California
B. North American Wetlands Conservation Act Proposals
Canadian Wetlands Conservation Grant Proposals Mexican Wetlands Conservation Grant Proposals United States Standard Grant Proposals
~ U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service ' 1i~*~ ~' 1NAWCA and MBCA Project Funding Proposals, April 2016
01'1isq11a11y
North Oakota Cl1ase Lake Orift Prairie Area Wetland •ProjectV \)11'~3909 Project XII• Oorder 0 • Prairie sc.hooa,c. ~tt' to\ •Wetlands IV fe"'"su\a e,oas~~ . aartf\ers"'" ~a•"e• James River lowlands Missouri Coteau •1 Mukwonago - Project VIII fox River IIVillow Eastern ,1-ocus Area II Cree1.. Nebraska •Upper Iowa ""· ...L Wetlands Prairie 0 •r'Af.4 llrli11e Pothole IV Platte River • 4 Wetlands e5 is,,,, Wetfa ,t •Partnership IV Coflse,-"at;o,, 11It s kRiver h ""oc tiol\ l'a a erVa I ·a ital' e,ol\S rshil' & . ~]'"' . ers 1'tllare rtl\e ""V,, \ R•V • Kansas Prairie pa '(,a o8as;,, IIVAf.4 Wetlands II Si; t;a')'S 1 Proposal Area e,aro\il\a White& wet\al\as \l\i.tiative II Cache Cache Rivers . Wetlands II south Carolina R1ver(1 wet\anas santee• Lower Lanascal'e IV • oe\ta-Wi.n')'ah t;a')' wet\anas111 Mississippi south Carolina I oelta Wetland5e I d Lowcountry • MAVWet an s Wetlands• VII southe,aro\ina coasta\ Rivers . Neches Conservation I sansavilla conserVati.on vartnersh•I' River 0 phase I Creole Marsh Mid-Oarataria • •Wetla,,ds I
• NAWCAProposals TexasG-ulf ~oastXIII 0 250 500 ___.,.. ,.; 0 MBCAProposals ...... Miles ~ Kilometers N 0 250 500 I I I MEMORANDUM
A. Approval of Meeting Minutes
September 9, 2015
MEMORANDUM "A"
MEETING MINUTES SEPTEMBER 9, 2015
The minutes of the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission meeting
held on September 9, 2015, have been prepared for reading by
the Commission.
It is respectfully recommended that these
minutes be formally approved. MINUTES OF THE
MEETING OF THE MIGRATORY BIRD CONSERVATION COMMISSION
Held in Washington, D.C., on September 9, 2015
The Migratory Bird Conservation Commission met on Wednesday, September 9, 2015, in the South Interior Building Auditorium.
The following Commission members were present:
HON. SALLY JEWELL, Secretary and MBCC Chair, Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C.
HON. THAD COCHRAN, Senator from Mississippi
HON. MARTIN HEINRICH, Senator from New Mexico
HON. ROBERT WITTMAN, Congressman from Virginia
HON. MIKE THOMPSON, Congressman from California
MS. ROBERT BONNIE, Under Secretary, Natural Resources and Environment, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.
MR. MR. A. STANLEY MEIBURG, Acting Deputy Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.
The following ex officio members were present:
MR. TIM BROWER, Eastern Region Administrator, Land Acquisition and Planning, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Annapolis, Maryland
MR. BRETT BROWNSCOMBE, Deputy Director, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Salem, Oregon
MR. JOAQUIN ESQUIVEL, Assistant Secretary for Federal Water Policy, California Natural Resources Agency, Washington, D.C.
MR. ROSS MELINCHUK, Deputy Executive Director of Natural Resources, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Austin, Texas
MR. SAM RICKETTS, Washington State Governor's Office, Washington, D.C.
The following North American Wetlands Conservation Council members were present:
MR. TERRY STEINW AND, Chairman of the NAWCC and Director, North Dakota Game and Fish Department, Bismarck, North Dakota
MR. GREG KNADLE, Vice President, Government Affairs, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Washington, D.C. The Secretary to the Commission was present:
MR. A. ERIC ALVAREZ, Chief, Division of Realty, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia
The North American Wetlands Conservation Council Coordinator was present:
MS. SARAH MOTT, Chief, Division of Bird Habitat Conservation, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia
The following persons from the U.S. Congress, the Department of the Interior, the Fish and Wildlife Service, and partner agencies and organizations were present:
MR. MICHAEL BEAN, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Fish and Wildlife and Parks, Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C.
MR. DANIEL ASHE, Director, Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C.
MR. STEPHEN GUERTIN, Deputy Director, Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C.
MR. JIM KURTH, Deputy Director, Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C.
MR. ANDREW BROWN, Management Analyst, Division of Policy, Performance and Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia
MS. JANET BRUNER, Deputy Chief, Division of Realty, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia
MR. CARLTON CHEATHAM, Visual Information Specialist, Division of Realty, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia
MS. ALLISON COLDEN, Legislative Assistant, Congressman Thompson's Office, Washington, D.C.
MR. PAUL CORNES, Chief, Division of Realty, Southwest Region, Fish and Wildlife Service, Albuquerque, New Mexico
MS. ELIZABETH DAY, Management Assistant, Division of Natural Resources and Conservation Planning, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia
MR. CHRISTOPHER DEETS, Outreach and Education Specialist, Division of Bird Habitat Conservation, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia
MR. ALLAN DIZIOLI, Economist, International Monetary Fund, Washington, D.C.
MS. KARI DUNCAN, Branch Chief, Division of Bird Habitat Conservation, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia
MS. ARIANNA ELM, Visitor Services, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia MS. SUZANNE FELLOWS, Program Coordinator, Duck Stamp Office, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia
MR. JEROME FORD, Assistant Director, Migratory Birds Program, Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C.
MR. KEN FOWLER, Realty Specialist, Division of Realty, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia
MR. DAVID GAGNER, Senior Director, Government Relations, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
MS. MAYA HERMANN, Legislative Assistant, Senator Heinrich's Office, Washington, D.C.
MS. KATY HOPPER, Budget Analyst, ABHR/Division of Budget, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia
MR. CHARLES HOUGHTEN, Chief, Lands Division, Pacific Northwest Region, Fish and Wildlife Service, Portland, Oregon
MR. MIKE JOHNSON, Deputy Assistant Director, Migratory Birds Program, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia
MS . LESLIE JONES, Chief of Staff, Natural Resources and Environment, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.
MR. KATHERINE KORTE, Acting Chief, Division of Refuge Law Enforcement, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia
DR. MICHAEL KREGER, Special Assistant to the Assistant Director, Migratory Birds Program, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia
MS. ALISON KUZJ, Visitor Services, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia
MR. JUSTIN MARKEY, Grant Officer, Division of Bird Habitat Conservation, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia
MS. NISA MARKS, Grant Officer, Division of Bird Habitat Conservation, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia
MS. CYNTHIA MARTINEZ, Chief, National Wildlife Refuge System, Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C.
MR. JOSEPH MCCAULEY, Chief, Division of Realty, Northeast Region, Fish and Wildlife Service, Hadley, Massachusetts
MR. CARL MILLEGAN, Branch Chief, Wildlife Resources, Division of Natural Resources and Conservation Planning, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia MR. AARON MIZE, Branch Chief, Policy and Planning, Division of Natural Resources and Conservation Planning, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia
MR. BENNETT MIZE, Legislative Aide, Senator Cochran's Office, Washington, D.C.
MS . ROY A MOGADAM, Congressional and Legislative Affairs Specialist, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia
MR. KELLIS MOSS, Director of Public Policy, Ducks Unlimited, Washington, D.C.
MS . JANUARY MYERS, Program Analyst, Duck Stamp Office, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia
MR. BILL PORTER, Branch Chief, Realty Management, Division of Realty, Northeast Region, Fish and Wildlife Service, Hadley, Massachusetts
MS . MYRA PRICE, National Wetland Program Development Grant Coordinator, Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds, Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.
MS . HALLISON PUTNAM, Acting Coordinator, Migratory Bird Conservation Commission, Division of Realty, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia
MS. KELLY REED, Director of Government Relations, The Conservation Fund, Arlington, Virginia
MS. MEGAN REED, Special Assistant, Offices of the Assistant Director, External Affairs, and Chief, National Wildlife Refuge System, Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C.
MR. BRENT ROBINSON, Legislative Director, Congressman Wittman's Office, Washington, D.C.
MR. DAVID C. ROBINSON, Deputy Chief, National Wildlife Refuge System Division of Budget, Performance, and Workforce, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia
MS. ANY A RUSHING, Grants Management Specialist, Division of Bird Habitat Conservation, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia
MR. TOM SAMPSON, Realty Officer, Pacific Southwest Region, Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento, California
MR. SHAUN SANCHEZ, Chief, Division of Budget, Performance, and Workforce, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia
MS. STACY SANCHEZ, Program Support Specialist, Division of Bird Habitat Conservation, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia MS. LAURIE SHAFFER, Chief, Duck Stamp Office, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia
MS . SHANNON SMITH, Deputy Chief, Division of Natural Resources and Conservation Planning, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia
MR. IV ARS STOLCERS, Branch Chief, Realty, Lands Division, Pacific Northwest Region, Fish and Wildlife Service, Portland, Oregon
MS. RACHEL SULLIVAN, General Biologist, Division of Bird Habitat Conservation, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia
MS. RENI TEJAN-COLE, Management Assistant, Division of Realty, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia
MS . EDITH THOMPSON, Congressional and Legislative Affairs Specialist, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia
MR. DANIEL ULMER, Legislative Assistant, Senator Cochran's Office, Washington, D.C.
MS. JESSIE WILD, Communications Specialist, Office of Diversity, Falls Church, Virginia
MR. MATTHEW WILLIAMS, Fish and Wildlife Service Detailee, Falls Church, Virginia
MR. ROBERT WILLIAMS, Program Analyst, National Wildlife Refuge System Division of Budget, Performance, and Workforce, Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia
MEETING PROCEEDINGS
Secretary Jewell (Chair) opened the meeting, welcomed members of the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission (Commission), and greeted other attendees. She had the ex officio members and Commission members introduce themselves and then offered her remarks.
Chair Jewell mentioned that next year (2016) will be the Centennial of the first Migratory Bird Treaty, and reiterated the importance of international cooperation on migratory bird and other conservation efforts. Chair Jewell noted that the meeting slate included five national wildlife refuge proposals and 20 U.S. Standard Grant proposals from the North American Wetlands Conservation Council, and acknowledged the report back to the Commission on the Small Grant projects that were funded in 2015.
Chair Jewell mentioned the Federal Duck Stamp Act of 2014, which increased the price of the Federal Duck Stamp from $15 to $25, the first increase in the Stamp's price since 1991 , and expressed appreciation for the Congressional support for the Act.
Chair Jewell introduced Fish and Wildlife Service Deputy Director Steve Guertin, who offered his remarks. Deputy Director Guertin thanked the Secretary and the rest of the members of the Commission before stating the importance of the Duck Stamp program to conservation. Chair Jewell called for approval of the April 29, 2015, meeting minutes, which the Commission approved.
Chair Jewell turned the meeting over to Michael Bean, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, who would be the Acting Chair for the rest of the meeting.
Agenda Item A MIGRATORY BIRD CONSERVATION ACT PROCEEDINGS
Acting Chair Bean called on Commission Secretary Eric Alvarez to present the Refuge proposals.
Secretary Alvarez turned to the meeting's five proposals, which he presented separately, as follows:
BRAZORIA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, TEXAS - Ex officio Commission member Ross Melinchuk voiced the State of Texas' support for the proposal. The Commission approved the boundary addition of 525 acres. The Commission also approved the fee acquisition of 1,090 acres, in one ownership, for the appraised value and recommended price of $1,962,000, or $1 ,800 per acre.
KLAMATH MARSH NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, OREGON - Ex officio Commission member Brett Brownscombe voiced the State of Oregon's support for the proposal. The Commission approved the boundary addition of 60 acres. The Commission also approved the fee acquisition of 400 acres, in one ownership, for the appraised value and recommended price of $400,000, or $1,000 per acre.
BLACKWATER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, MARYLAND - Ex officio Commission member Tim Brower voiced the State of Maryland's support for the proposal. The Commission approved the fee acquisition of 758 acres, in two ownerships, for the appraised value and recommended price of $2,235,000, or $2,949 per acre.
TULARE BASIN WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA, CALIFORNIA - Ex officio Commission member Joaquin Esquivel voiced the State of California's support for the proposal. The Commission approved the acquisition of 205 easement acres, in three ownerships, for the appraised value and recommended price of $580,000, or $2,829 per acre.
TURNBULL NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, WASHINGTON - Ex officio Commission member Sam Ricketts voiced the State of Washington's support for the proposal. The Commission approved the fee acquisition of 821 acres, in one ownership, for the appraised value and recommended price of$1,298,000, or $1 ,581 per acre.
Acting Chair Bean asked Secretary Alvarez to explain why the proposal for price approval was not presented to the Commission at this meeting. Secretary Alvarez explained that the Governor of Maine is generally opposed to any Federal land acquisitions in the State of Maine on philosophical grounds, but that the Fish and Wildlife Service is hoping to work with the State, conservation partners, and members of the Maine Congressional delegation for a resolution that would enable the Fish and Wildlife Service to present the project at the April, 2016, meeting. Congressman Thompson asked whether delaying the proposal would create problems for the waterfowl and migratory birds that use the site. Secretary Alvarez answered that a short delay would not create such problems.
Congressman Thompson asked how long the landowner is willing to hold the property while awaiting Commission approval. Secretary Alvarez answered that the landowner probably would not be willing to wait much past the spring Commission meeting.
Congressman Wittman asked whether the Fish and Wildlife Service had considered acquiring a conservation easement on the property. Secretary Alvarez answered that this would be one option that the Fish and Wildlife Service would pursue, but that the Governor was not willing to consider this option at this time.
Senator Heinrich asked whether there was an indication from the members of the Maine Congressional delegation whether they support the acquisition. Secretary Alvarez answered that there was some indication that the delegation is supportive, but that the Fish and Wildlife Service hoped to receive an official statement of support to submit to the Commission.
Acting Chair Bean asked for any further comments on Migratory Bird Conservation Act proposals. There were no further comments, and Acting Chair Bean proceeded to Agenda Item B, the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) portion of the meeting.
Agenda Item B NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT
Acting Chair Bean introduced North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) Chair Member Terry Steinwand, Director of the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.
Mr. Steinwand noted that for the first fiscal year 2016 grant cycle, the North American Wetlands Conservation Council (NAWCA Council) recommended a slate of 20 Standard Grant projects in the United States. He explained that these projects included more than 125 partners working to protect, restore, and enhance migratory bird habitat in all four flyways. On behalf of the NA WCA Council, he thanked the Commission for its continued support of NAWCA and for ensuring its continued success.
Mr. Steinwand introduced NAWCA Council staff member David Gagner, Senior Director, Government Relations, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, who was representing Jeff Trandahl, Executive Director, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Mr. Gagner thanked the Commission for its continued, long-standing support of the NAWCA Council-support that ensures the conservation of habitat needed for birds and people to flourish. He stated that the recommended slate of U.S. Standard Grants will conserve thousands of acres of wetlands from the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana to the prairie potholes of Montana. He also reported on the 45 U.S. Small Grants that were approved by the NA WCA Council earlier in the year. He mentioned that the Small Grants program represents a valuable opportunity to fund dozens of smaller projects across the country.
Acting Chair Bean called on NAWCA Council Coordinator Sarah Mott to present the slate of NAWCA proposals.
Ms. Mott noted that the Commission had previously authorized the NAWCA Council to approve up to $5 million in Small Grants annually, and then reported that in February the NAWCA Council approved 45 Small Grant projects with a total grant request of $3 ,012,348, to which partners are providing over $6.3 million of matching funds . This will facilitate acquisition, restoration, and enhancement of over 38,848 acres.
Ms. Mott then presented the NAWCA Council's recommended slate of 20 U.S. Standard Grant proposals. The NAWCA funding request for these projects would total $21 ,404,799, and the partner match committed in these proposals was $45,253 ,199. The funds would be used to acquire, restore, and enhance over 133,545 acres.
Acting Chair Bean asked for any further comments on the slate of North American Wetlands Conservation Act proposals. With no comments, Acting Chair Bean asked for a motion to approve the NAWCA slate of 20 U.S. Standard Grant proposals. The slate was approved by unanimous vote.
Acting Chair Bean asked whether there was any other Commission business. With no other business, he adjourned the meeting. I
I MIGRATORY BIRD CONSERVATION FUND FISCAL YEAR 2016 FUND STATUS REPORT
STATUS AS OF: April 1, 2016 Estimated RECEIPTS Received as Projected Receipts Total Receipts of 4/1/2016 Remainder of FY Available in FY FY 2015 Carryover 9,221,997 0 9,221,997 Return of Sequestered FY 2015 Funds 4,535,605 0 4,535,605 Duck Stamp Sales - U.S. Postal Service 11 ,941,825 808,175 12,750,000 Duck Stamp Sales - Amplex 6,000,555 9,999,445 16,000,000 Duck Stamp Sales - USFWS 65,549 104,451 170,000 Import Duties 16,720,662 8,279,338 25 ,000,000 Reverted F.A.Wildlife Restoration Grant Money 4,606,271 0 4,606,271 Refuge Rights-Of-Way & Application Fees 21 ,685 128,315 150,000 TOT AL RECEPTS $53,114,149 $19,319,724 $72,433,873
Estimated OBLIGATIONS Obligations as of Projected Expenditures Estimated Total 4/1/2016 Remainder of FY Obligations in FY EASEMENT PURCHASES Grasslands WMA, CA 405,000 0 405,000 * Willow Creek-Lurline WMA, CA . 460,000 460,000 Waterfowl Production Areas 17,711 ,663 24,477,794 42,189,456
LAND PURCHASES OR LEASES Blackwater NWR, MD 2,235,000 0 2,235,000 * Cache River NWR, AR 1,391 ,000 1,391,000 Dahomey NWR, MS (Lease) 10,790 10,790 * Felsenthal NWR, AR 948,651 751,137 1,699,788 * Grays Lake, ID 700,000 700,000 * Humboldt Bay NWR, CA 600,000 600,000 Lacassine NWR, LA (Lease) 25,600 0 25,600 * Laguna Atascosa NWR, TX 2,000,000 2,000,000 Mackay Island NWR, NC 944,900 944,900 * Neches River NWR, TX 1,351 ,320 1,351 ,320 * Nisqually NWR, WA 830,000 830,000 Panther Swamp NWR, MS (Lease) 19,200 19,200 * San Bernard NWR, TX 700,000 700,000 St. Catherine Creek NWR, MS (Lease) 19,600 19,600 * Tulare Basin WMA, CA 280,000 280,000 * UmbagogNWR, ME 2,000,000 2,000,000 Waterfowl Production Areas 150,897 917,880 1,068,777 TOT AL LAND/EASEMENT PURCHASES $21 ,476,811 $37,453,620 $58,930,431
U.S. Postal Service 549,213 200,787 750,000 Direct Support Costs 4,013,457 6,002,323 10,015,780 Shared Enterprise Costs 0 1,100,000 1,100,000 MBCC Meeting Expenses 0 7,500 7,500 HQ - UNALLOCATED 0 1,630,162 1,630,162 TOTAL OBLIGATIONS $26,039,480 $46,394,393 $72,433,873
*Allor partial funding is contingent on Migratory Bird Conservation Commission approval.
MEMORANDUM NUMBER 1
NECHES RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
ANDERSON AND CHEROKEE COUNTIES, TEXAS
SUMMARY
TYPE OF PROPOSAL New MBCC Refuge Boundary and Price Approval
LOCATION Located 13 miles northeast of Palestine. PROPOSED REFUGE BOUNDARY AND PRICE APPROVAL ACRES 952 (fee) OWNERSHIPS One APPRAISED VALUE AND RECOMMENDED PRICE $1,476,351 PER ACRE: $1,551
PURPOSE OF REFUGE To preserve habitat for wintering waterfowl, including wood ducks, mallards, gadwall, blue-winged teal, green-winged teal, and lesser scaup, and habitat for breeding wood ducks.
STA TE APPROVAL Approval pending by Greg Abbott, Governor, State of Texas.
REFUGE STATUS
Acres Cost Per Acre ACQUIRED WITH MBCC APPROVAL ACQUIRED WITH LWCF FUNDS 1,600 $2,641,023 $1,651 ACQUIRED WITH NAWCA FUNDS 2,099 $1,000,000 $476 ACQUIRED WITH OTHER FUNDS 675 $1,047,722 $1,552 ACQUIRED BY DONATION 31 THIS PROPOSAL 952 $1,476,351 $1,551 REMAINING TO BE ACQUIRED 19,924 TOTAL 25,281
Neches River NWR April 20, 2016 NECHES RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE ANDERSON AND CHEROKEE COUNTIES, TEXAS
HISTORY- The Neches River National Wildlife Refuge is located along the north Neches River and floodplain between Anderson and Cherokee Counties. The Refuge was established on June 11 , 2006; its purposes are to protect nesting and wintering habitat for migratory birds of the Central Flyway; to protect the bottomland hardwood forests for their diverse biological values and wetland functions of water quality improvement and flood control assistance; and to provide for compatible wildlife-dependent public recreation opportunities. To date, the Service has acquired 4,405 acres within the Refuge's 25,281-acre boundary. This is the first time the Service has brought the Refuge before the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission.
JUSTIFICATION- The Neches River has long been recognized as an area of importance to the diversity of wildlife in east Texas. The area proposed for acquisition is part of a productive complex of bottomland hardwood forest, swamps, and herbaceous wetlands that provide wintering, migration, and resident habitat for waterfowl, wading birds, neo-tropical migratory birds, and other wetland dependent species. Thousands of waterfowl winter in the area, including mallards, gad wall, widgeon, blue- and green-winged teal, ring-necked ducks, lesser scaup, buffleheads, and ruddy ducks. The area is also a prime nesting area for wood ducks, serves as a resting area for numerous neo-tropical birds migrating north in the spring, and provides habitat for several State threatened species, including wood storks, swallow-tailed kites, and Bachman's sparrows. The proposed acquisition is within the West Gulf Coastal Plain Bird Conservation Initiative of the Lower Mississippi Valley Joint Venture of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, and will contribute toward the Initiative's habitat protection goals.
PRESENT USE AND OWNERSHIP _ The property is owned by The Conservation Fund (TCF), which currently leases the property for private hunting. TCF purchased the property to facilitate conservation until the Service could acquire it for the Refuge. TCF has owned and maintained the property for eight years and needs to divest to reduce its overall carrying costs.
PROPOSED MANAGEMENT- The Service will manage the property as habitat for waterfowl, wading birds, neo-tropical migrants, and other wildlife that depend on bottomland hardwood forests and associated wetlands. Long-term refuge management goals including providing public wildlife-dependent recreational activities such as hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, and environmental education, and performing habitat management, water management, and inventorying and monitoring of wildlife.
ACQUISITION PROPOSAL - Boundary and price approval are requested for the fee title acquisition of 952 acres, consisting of bottomland hardwood forest, swamps, and herbaceous wetlands, for the appraised value and recommended price of$1 ,476,351, or $1 ,551 per acre.
Neches River NWR April 20, 2016 NECHES RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE ANDERSON AND CHEROKEE COUNTIES, TEXAS
TRACT SUMMARY
Appraised Value and Recommended Price
Tract Number Acres Land Improvements Total Per Acre (1 le,f,g) 952 $1 ,476,351 $0 $1,476,351 $1 ,551
Congressional Delegation: U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R) U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R) U.S. Representative Jeb Hensarling (R) 5th District
Neches River NWR April 20, 2016
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Migratory Bird Conservation Commission Neches River National Wildlife Refuge ~ Anderson and Cherokee Counties , Texas
95 ' 25W 95 °1aw
\ 31 "55'N
31 "55'N
I l f ',.,· ~ (5 \ J ROW I I
I C H E R O 'K E E \ I
\ 31 ' 48'N
31 "48'N ""S:-.
ANDERSON {i \ I , )
l Oklahoma Ctg OK Memphis AR
Fort W o~th ,Dallas MS a TX LA Austin 31 ' 41 'N • A • Iiouston San J-\.llton10 •
Refuge Location
95"25W 95' 18W N WW_$\E s ---, Boundary to be Approved PRODUCED IN THE DIVISION OF REAL TY 0 2 3 4 '- -- Approved Acquisition Boundary ALBUQUERQUE , NM Miles c::::J LAND STATUS CURRENT TO: 2/1 /16 Previously Acquired• Fee MI\P DATE: 3/17/2016 ~ BASEMAP ESRI / DOE RENEMBLE ENERGY ATLAS - Kilometers -,::~~ Previously Acquired - Easement UTM ZONE12 PROJECTION 0 2 4 NAD 83 For Approval - Fee 16_0031_a -4/20/2016 Date of MBCC Meeting I MEMORANDUM NUMBER 2
CACHE RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
MONROE AND PRAIRIE COUNTIES, ARKANSAS
SUMMARY
TYPE OF PROPOSAL Price Approval
LOCATION Located in northeast Arkansas in the Lower Cache River Basin, approximately 60 miles east-northeast of Little Rock. PRICE APPROVAL ACRES 978 (fee) OWNERSHIPS Two APPRAISED VALUE AND RECOMMENDED PRICE $2,391,000 PER ACRE: $2,445
PURPOSE OF REFUGE To conserve, restore, and manage bottomland wetlands for waterfowl, including mallards, northern pintails, and teal.
STATE APPROVAL June 3, 2005, Mike Huckabee, Governor, State of Arkansas; February 10, 1998, Steve N. Wilson, Director, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission; April 18, 2015, Asa Hutchinson, Governor, State of Arkansas.
REFUGE STATUS
Acres Cost Per Acre ACQUIRED WITH MBCC APPROVAL 50,090 $50,351 ,292 $1 ,005 ACQUIRED WITH L WCF FUNDS 10,326 $11,854,799 $1 ,148 ACQUIRED WITH NA WCA FUNDS 2,342 $2,251 ,155 $961 ACQUIRED BY TRANSFER (COE) 6,091 ACQUIRED BY DONATION 950 ACQUIRED BY EXCHANGE 469 ACQUIRED BY STATE AGENCY 13 ,863 THIS PROPOSAL 978 $2,391 ,000 $2,445 REMAINING TO BE ACQUIRED 201,575 TOTAL 286,684
Cache River NWR April 20, 2016 CACHE RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE MONROE AND PRAIRIE COUNTIES, ARKANSAS
The Cache River National Wildlife Ref~ge was established on June 16, 1986, under the authority ofthe Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956, the Migratory Bird Conservation Act, and the Emergency Wetlands Resources Act of 1986. The Migratory Bird Conservation Commission approved the Refuge on April 22, 1986. Several expansions over the years have increased the acquisition boundary to 286,684 acres, which includes the 10-year floodplain of the Cache River. To date, the Service has acquired 50,090 acres with Migratory Bird Conservation Act funds.
The Refuge encompasses some of the largest remaining blocks of bottomland hardwood forest in the Lower Mississippi Valley, and some of the largest expanses of forested wetlands on any tributary within the Mississippi Alluvial Valley. The Ramsar Convention designated the Refuge as a Wetland of International Importance. A series of chain lakes and sloughs that hold water year round enhance this area for waterfowl and other migratory birds. At least 24 species of waterfowl use the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley during winter migration, and this area supports one of the largest concentrations of mallards anywhere in North America. The area also supports northern pintail, teal, Canada goose, and other migratory waterfowl species.
Price approval is requested for the fee title acquisition of 978 acres, in two ownerships, for the appraised value and recommended price of $2,391,000, or $2,445 per acre. This includes 798 acres, in two tracts, that the owner manages for timber, wetland, and impounded habitats for private recreational use, primarily hunting, and a 180-acre tract that the owner uses for a combination of agriculture, timber, and pasture. Acquisition of the 798 acres would protect riparian forest along the east bank of the White River, connect disjunct refuge properties, expand public access, and enhance the Service's efforts to conserve, manage, and restore important aquatic, terrestrial, and wetland habitats for nesting and wintering waterfowl. The acquisition would also protect land directly opposite the State's Mike Freeze Wattensaw Wildlife Management Area (separated by the White River). Acquisition of the 180-acre tract would increase the Service's capacity to protect, manage, and enhance wildlife habitat for the benefit of migratory waterfowl, shorebirds, wading birds, neotropical migrants, and other native wildlife; it would also support the goals set forth in the Refuge's Land Protection Plan, approved in 2012, to restore marginal agricultural lands, reconnect the Cache River and Bayou De View watersheds, and increase areas open for public use including hunting, wildlife observation, and photography.
TRACT SUMMARY
Appraised Value and Recommended Price
Tract Number Acres Land Improvements Total Per Acre (908a,b) 798 $1,995,000 $0 $1 ,995,000 $2,500 45Bk 180 $396,000 $0 $396,000 $2,200
Congressional Delegation: U.S. Senator John Boozman (R) U.S. Senator Tom Cotton (R) U.S. Representative Eric "Rick" Crawford (R) 1st District Cache River NWR April 20, 2016 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Migratory Bird Conservation Commission Cache River National Wildlife Refuge Cross , Jackson , Monroe, Poinsett, Prairie, and Woodruff Counties, Arkansas
91 °50W 91 °40W 91 "30W 91 "20W 91 °10W 91 "W V I .. /
35"40'N 35"40 'N
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.._,_. -... MBCC Approved Boundary 0 10 20 CJ Approved Acquisition Boundary PRODUCED IN THE DIVISION OF REAL TY Miles Previously Acquired • Fee ATIANTA, GEORGIA ~ For Approval • Fee LAND STATUS CURRENT TO: 2125/16 1 Kilometers MO.P DATE : 3129/2016 4/20/2016 Date of MBCC Meeting BASEMAP: ESRI / DOE RENEW<\BLE ENERGY ATLAS 0- - 10 20 30 UTM ZONE1 5 PROJECTION NAD 83 -
MEMORANDUM NUMBER 3
NISQUALLY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
THURSTON COUNTY, WASHINGTON
SUMMARY
TYPE OF PROPOSAL Price Approval
LOCATION Located in central western Washington, five miles southwest of Olympia and immediately south of Puget Sound. PRICE APPROVAL ACRES 809 (fee), 140 (easement) OWNERSHIPS One APPRAISED VALUE AND RECOMMENDED PRICE $3,466,000 PER ACRE: $3,652
PURPOSE OF REFUGE To preserve coastal migration and wintering habitat for waterfowl.
ST A TE APPROVAL January 26, 2001, Governor Gary Locke; March 29, 2016, Governor Jay Inslee.
REFUGE ST A TUS
Acres Cost Per Acre ACQUIRED WITH MBCC APPROVAL 2,495 $3 ,864,990 $1,549 ACQUIRED WITH LWCF FUNDS 1,429 $8,977,451 $6,282 ACQUIRED BY TRANSFER (COE) 486 ACQUIRED BY DONATION 158 THIS PROPOSAL 949 $3,466,000 $3,652 REMAINING TO BE ACQUIRED 2,042 TOTAL 7,559
Nisqually NWR April 20, 2016 NISQUALLY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE THURSTON COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge was approved by the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission on January 22, 1974, to preserve coastal migration and wintering habitat for waterfowl. The Commission subsequently approved a 3,840-acre boundary expansion, known as the Black River Unit, on March 14, 2001. To date, the Service has acquired 4,575 acres for the Refuge, including 2,495 acres with Migratory Bird Conservation Act funds.
The Refuge's Black River Unit is located in central western Washington, five miles southwest of Olympia and immediately south of Puget Sound, within the Pacific Flyway. The Black River, part of the Chehalis River Watershed, is one of the largest undisturbed freshwater wetland systems remaining in all of Puget Sound; it is a slow-moving, spring-fed stream that meanders through dense shrub thickets, sphagnum bogs, and seasonal and forested wetlands. The River's calm waters and lush vegetation create a mosaic of wetland habitats unique in all of Puget Sound in terms of size and quality. The diversity of wetland habitat types within the Black River Unit, around the confluence of Black River, Dempsey Creek (a tributary of the Black River), and the Black River floodplain, and the flooded pastures and seasonal wetlands, support large concentrations of American wigeon, mallards, wood ducks, pintails, green-winged teal, and Canada geese during fall and winter. Cavities in mature trees also support nesting populations of wood ducks and hooded mergansers.
Price approval is requested for the fee title acquisition of 809 acres, and easement acquisition of high-density development rights on an additional 140 acres, for the appraised value and recommended price of $3 ,466,000, or $3 ,652 per acre. The current owner, a commercial timber company, uses the property primarily for selective timber harvesting and as an environmental education center, along with seasonal grazing and waterfowl hunting. The 809 acres proposed for fee acquisition contain 301 acres of emergent wetlands and forested wetlands. Large portions of these wetlands are ranked Category I under the State of Washington's wetland rating system, which means they: 1) represent a unique or rare wetland type; 2) are more sensitive to disturbance than most wetlands; 3) are relatively undisturbed and contain ecological attributes that are impossible to replace within a human lifetime; or 4) provide a high level of ecological function. Acquisition would permanently protect important migratory waterfowl habitat in the Middle-Upper Pacific Coast and Puget Trough Ecoregion, a waterfowl habitat area of major concern in the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. Acquisition would also connect an approximately three-mile contiguous block of unique and important emergent wetlands and forested wetlands surrounding the Black River, and allow the Service to restore contiguous seasonal wetland and riparian habitat between a portion of Dempsey Creek and the Black River.
Acquisition of the 140-acre limited development easement would limit future development to three residences on the tract, but the timber company will retain fee title ownership and continue to selectively harvest timber on the 140 acres. This tract also includes an environmental education center, which the timber company will continue to own and operate.
Nisqually NWR April 20, 2016 NISQUALLY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE THURSTON COUNTY, WASHINGTON
TRACT SUMMARY
Appraised Value and Recommended Price
Tract Number Acres Land Improvements Total Per Acre (516,a,b,M,R) 949 $3 ,466,000 $0 $3,466,000 $3 ,652
Congressional Delegation: U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D) U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D) U.S. Representative Denny Heck (D) 10th District
Nisqually NWR April 20, 2016
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Migratory Bird ConseTl'ation Commission Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge Thurston County, Washington
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1-.:.::: MBCC Approved Boundary 0 1 Approved Acquisition Boundary PRODUCED IN TliE DNISION OF REAL TY & REFUGE INFORMA.TION ----r==::=:::=i Miles Previously Acquired • Fee PORTlAND, OREGON LAND STATUS CURRENT TO 211/16 ••-===:i Kilometers For Approval • Fee MAP DATE: 3/29/2016 0 1 For Approval • Easement BASEMAP: ESRI / DOE RENEW\BLE ENERGY ATIAS lITM ZONE18 PROJECTION For Approval • Access Easement NAO 83 4/20/2016 Date of MBCC Meeting
MEMORANDUM NUMBER 4
TULARE BASIN WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA
KERN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
SUMMARY
TYPE OF PROPOSAL Price Approval LOCATION Located 3 5 miles northwest of Bakersfield, California. PRICE APPROVAL ACRES 160 (fee) OWNERSHIPS One APPRAISED VALUE AND RECOMMENDED PRICE $560,000 PER ACRE: $3,500
PURPOSE OF REFUGE To protect and manage habitat for migratory birds, including mallard, northern pintail, gadwall, cinnamon teal, and northern shoveler.
STA TE APPROVAL February 19, 2008, John Carlson, Executive Director, California Fish and Game Commission.
REFUGE STATUS
Acres Cost Per Acre ACQUIRED WITH MBCC APPROVAL EASEMENT 4,060 $7,932,518 $1,954 ACQUIRED WITH LWCF FUNDS 80 $249,036 $3,113 ACQUIRED BY DONATION 89 THIS PROPOSAL 160 $560,000 $3,500 REMAINING TO BE ACQUIRED 17,611 TOTAL 22,000
Tulare Basin WMA April 20, 2016 TULARE BASIN WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA KERN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
The Migratory Bird Conservation Commission approved the Tulare Basin Wildlife Management Area acquisition boundary and also the first acquisition on September 9, 2009. This area has a long history of migratory bird use and recreational hunting. Tulare Basin wetlands have hosted wintering waterfowl concentrations in excess of 100,000 birds in recent years. The goals of the Tulare Basin WMA are to stem the rate of habitat fragmentation in the area and to help achieve Central Valley Joint Venture wintering waterfowl habitat goals to protect, restore, and enhance wetlands. To date, the Service has acquired 4,060 easement acres with Migratory Bird Conservation Act funds.
The Tulare Basin WMA supports the last remnant of wetlands and wildlife habitat left in a dramatically altered Tulare Lake watershed. The wetlands are important as winter foraging and nesting habitat for many waterfowl species including mallard, northern pintail, gadwall, cinnamon teal, and northern shoveler. The Tulare Basin WMA is closely associated with Kem and Pixley National Wildlife Refuges, two California Department of Fish and Wildlife Ecological Areas, and a mosaic of private wetlands surrounded by agricultural operations.
Price approval is requested for the fee title acquisition of 160 acres of irrigated seasonal wetlands, for the appraised value and recommended price of $560,000, or $3,500 per acre. The current owner uses the property for private recreational hunting. The south side of the property is contiguous with the Kem NWR, and the northwestern side of the property adjoins a conservation easement that the Service previously acquired with Commission approval; the fee owner of this adjoining property is currently conducting wetland restoration projects to improve private recreational hunting. Farmers are acquiring properties in the surrounding area primarily for the purpose of growing nuts, especially pistachios, which results in the loss of waterfowl habitat. Acquisition is necessary to prevent this property from being converted into such a farm.
TRACT SUMMARY
Appraised Value and Recommended Price
Tract Number Acres Land Improvements Total Per Acre (363a) 160 $560,000 $0 $560,000 $3,500
Congressional Delegation: U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D) U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein (D) U.S. Representative David Valadao (R) 21st District
Tulare Basin WMA April 20, 2016 ~ U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Migratory Bird Conservation Commission Tulare Basin Wildlife Management Area ~ Kern and Tulare Counties , California
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W~E ·ws ••=• •_:: MBCC Approved Boundary 2 3 4 C::J Approved Acquisition Boundary PRODUCED IN TliE DIVISION OF REAL TY 0 SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA ••=-•-===i•■ Miles ~ Previously Acquired • Fee LAND STATUS CURRENT TO: 10113/14 (:: :-:-;_: Previously Acquired• Easement MAP DATE: 3/2912016 •-==••- Kilometers BASEMAP: ESRI I DOE RENE\111<\BLE ENERGY ATLAS - For Approval • Fee lJlM ZONE 1O N 0 3 6 NAO 83 4/20/2016 Date of MBCC Meeting
MEMORANDUM NUMBER 5
UMBAGOG NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
OXFORD COUNTY, MAINE
SUMMARY
TYPE OF PROPOSAL Price Approval LOCATION Located on the northern New Hampshire/Maine border, 75 miles northwest of Portland, Maine, and 30 miles north of Berlin, New Hampshire. PRICE APPROVAL ACRES 4,091 (fee) OWNERSHIPS One APPRAISED VALUE AND RECOMMENDED PRICE $2,583,000 PER ACRE: $631
PURPOSE OF REFUGE To protect and manage diverse wetland habitats for a variety of waterfowl, including American black ducks.
ST ATE APPROVAL May 15, 2009, Roland D. Martin, Commissioner, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
REFUGE STATUS
Acres Cost Per Acre ACQUIRED WITH MBCC APPROVAL 14,417 $8 ,061 ,367 $559 ACQUIRED WITH L WCF FUNDS FEE 17,122 $20,627,596 $1,205 EASEMENT 525 $104,403 $199 ACQUIRED WITH OTHER FUNDING 511 $390,000 $763 ACQUIRED BY DONATION 29 THIS PROPOSAL 4,091 $2,583,000 $631 REMAINING TO BE ACQUIRED 40,244 TOTAL 76,939
UmbagogNWR April 20, 2016 UMBAGOG NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE OXFORD COUNTY, MAINE
The Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge was established under the authority of the Emergency Wetlands Resources Act of 1986 to conserve wetlands and to help fulfill international obligations contained in various migratory bird treaties and conventions. The Migratory Bird Conservation Commission approved the initial Refuge boundary in March 1995, and approved the expanded boundary in June 2009. To date, the Service has acquired 14,417 acres with Migratory Bird Conservation Act funds .
Lake Umbagog, and its associated wetland complex, is recognized as some of the finest wildlife habitat in Maine and New Hampshire. One of the original reasons for creation of the Refuge was the site's designation as a waterfowl focus area by both states under the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. The Refuge's extensive oxbow ponds, marsh backwaters, bordering shrub and forested wetlands, and adjacent forested and cutover uplands provide important nesting and brood-rearing habitat for American black ducks, ring-necked ducks, and cavity-nesters such as wood ducks, common goldeneyes, and common and hooded mergansers. The area supports some of the highest concentrations of American black ducks, ring-necks, and goldeneyes in the two states. The site is also an important migratory staging area for these and additional waterfowl species.
Price approval is requested for the fee title acquisition of 4,091 acres for the appraised value and recommended price of $2,583 ,000, or $631 per acre. The Conservation Fund purchased the property, historically used for timber harvesting, to facilitate conservation until the Service could acquire it for the Refuge. The property adjoins Refuge lands on three sides, and includes the B Brook drainage, associated beaver-enhanced wetlands, and surrounding forest and cutover timberland that is in various stages of regrowth. Acquisition of the tract would protect water quality for Lake Umbagog and associated wetlands, and protect important habitat for waterfowl, especially nesting black ducks. Acquisition would also provide habitat connectivity among existing Refuge lands, and ensure recreational access for the public and access for Refuge staff to perform resource management activities. Portions of the tract have been designated as a Refuge focus area for American woodcock management.
TRACT SUMMARY
Appraised Value and Recommended Price
Tract Number Acres Land Improvements Total Per Acre (100c) 4,091 $2,583 ,000 $0 $2,583 ,000 $631
Congressional Delegation: U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R) U.S. Senator Angus King (I) U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree (D) 1st District
UmbagogNWR April 20, 2016 Uum.s.b Fish & Wildlife Service ory Bird C o11servatio11 C om mission agog N f ~ C ampsh1re and Oxfor d County , Ma1ne . 11· 1ow H ge 71"W ( Canada
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,-_,_.... MBCCA pproved Bound 0 A ary pproved Acquisition Bo HADLEYPRODUCED MASSATHE IN DIVISION OF R CJ IAND STATUS CHUSETTS EAL TY Previously Acquired • Fe:ndary Kilometers ~ ::/ATE: 3/1i~~:ENT TO: 2/1116 ~ , · Previously Acquired. U1M ~ : ESRI I DOE RE 0 2 4 For Approval • Fee Easement NAO afNE18 PROJECTIONNEW>.BLE ENERGY ATIAS 4/20/2016- Date of MBCC Meetmg .
MEMORANDUM NUMBER 6
WILLOW CREEK-LURLINE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA
COLUSA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
SUMMARY
TYPE OF PROPOSAL Price Approval LOCATION Located along Four Mile Road, 10 miles south of the town of Willows. PRICE APPROVAL ACRES 115 (easement) OWNERSHIPS One APPRAISED VALUE AND RECOMMENDED PRICE $402,000 PER ACRE: $3,496
PURPOSE OF REFUGE To protect, restore, and maintain wetlands for migratory waterfowl.
STA TE APPROVAL April 12, 1979, Leslie F. Edgerton, Executive Secretary, State of California, Fish and Game Commission.
REFUGE STATUS
Acres Cost Per Acre ACQUIRED WITH MBCC APPROVAL EASEMENT 5,787 $7,173,433 $1 ,240 ACQUIRED WITH LWCF FUNDS EASEMENT 77 $354,000 $4,597 THIS PROPOSAL 115 $402,000 $3 ,496 REMAINING TO BE ACQUIRED 2,021 TOTAL 8,000
Willow Creek-Lurline NWR April 20, 2015 WILLOW CREEK-LURLINE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA COLUSA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
The Willow Creek-Lurline Wildlife Management Area is located in northern Colusa County and southeastern Glenn County, within California's Central Valley. The North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) identified the Central Valley as one of the most important waterfowl wintering areas in the United States, and the Willow Creek-Lurline area as one of the most important areas within the Valley. On February 5, 1985, the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission approved acquisition of 8,000 acres of conservation easements for the WMA to protect wetlands and waterfowl habitat in the Colusa Basin. The Commission also granted blanket price approval to allow the Service to purchase WMA easements costing up to $1 ,800 per acre. To date, the Service has purchased 5,864 easement acres, including 5,787 acres with Migratory Bird Conservation Act funds. No fee title acquisition is authorized for the WMA.
The Willow Creek-Lurline WMA includes many of the last privately-owned historic wetlands in the Colusa Basin. These wetlands are a mosaic of managed seasonal and semi-permanent wetlands surrounded by rice agriculture. The wetlands support tens of thousands of wintering waterfowl, including a significant portion of the population of the Tule greater white-fronted goose.
Price approval is requested to acquire a perpetual conservation easement on 115 acres of fallow rice land and wetlands, currently used for private waterfowl hunting, for the appraised value and recommended price of $402,000, or $3 ,496 per acre. Under the terms of the easement, the landowner retains rights to hunting, trespass, grazing, and other recreational activities on the land, but the Service is allowed to flood the area to provide wintering habitat. The property adjoins four other properties under similar Service conservation easements, and acquisition would create a larger contiguous block of wetlands managed for waterfowl. Acquisition of conservation easements for the WMA contributes to NAWMP and Central Valley Joint Venture habitat protection and restoration goals.
TRACT SUMMARY
Appraised Value and Recommended Price
Tract Number Acres Total Per Acre (lOOC) 115 $402,000 $3 ,496
Congressional Delegation: U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D) U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D) rd U.S. Representative John Garamendi (D-3 )
Willow Creek-Lurline NWR April 20, 2015 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Migratory Bird Conserl'ation Commission Willow Creek-Lurline Wildlife Management Area Colusa and Glenn Counties , Cal iforn ia
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122·w W~W E s I".:.::: MBCC Approved Boundary 0 2 3 4 [=i Approved Acquisition Boundary PRO DUCED IN THE OIVI SI ON OF REAL TY Miles SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA ~ Previously Acquired• Fee LAND STATUS CURRENT TO: 10/13114 Previously Acquired• Easement MA.P DATE: 3129/2 016 Kilometers :: : : i: BASEMAP: ESRI / DOE RENEW\BLE ENERGY ATLAS 0 2 4 ~ For Approval • Easement U1M ZONE 10N NAD 83 4/20/2016 Date of MBCC Meeting
NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT
April 20, 2016
Canadian Proposals
NAWCA Partner Securement Enhancement Management Title Province*** Recipient Organization *Rank Request Match Acres Acres Acres Order
Canadian Prairie Pothole & Western Boreal Habitat Program AB, BC, MB, NT, SK, YT Ducks Unlimited Canada $9,488,638 $9,488,638 7,867 5,471 3,653,902
2 Eastern Habitat Joint Venture - Wetlands Conservation ON, NB, NL, NS, PEI, QB Ducks Unlimited Canada $2,476,688 $2,476,688 2,765 1,265 1,085,314
British Columbia Pacific Coastal & Canadian lntermountain Conservation BC Ducks Unlimited Canada SI,038,273 $1,038,273 1,250 383 419,744
Ontario, Quebec & Atlantic: Protecting Wetland & Upland Habitat, EHJV** ON, QC, NB, NS, PEI, NL Nature Conservancy Canada Sl,100,000 $1 , 100,000 1,670 150 72,160
4 Prairies: Protecting Wetlands and Uplands, PHJV** AB, MB, SK Nature Conservancy Canada $900,000 $900,000 950 77,929
6 Potholes Plus Project MB,SK Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation $250,000 $250,000 11,220 510 92,780
7 British Columbia: CIJV & PBHJV Wetland-Associated Migratory Bird Habitat** BC Nature Conservancy Canada $200,000 $200,000 386 489 19,665
8 Prairie Pothole Region Landscapes MB,SK Ducks Unlimited Canada $5,000,000 $5,000,000 6,581 2,228
9 Parkland Bird Production Project MB Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation $300,000 $300,000 796 25
Totals: $20,753,599 $20,753,599 33,485 10,521 5,421,494
** CIN : Canadian Intemountain Joint Venture ***AB -Alberta EHJV: Eastern Habitat Joint Vennlfe BC - British Columbia PHJV: Prairie Habitat Joint Venture MB - Manitoba PBHJV: Pacific Birds Habitat Joint Venture NB - New Brunswick NL - Newfoundland/Labrador * Projects are in rank order instead of alphabetical order NS - Nova Scotia NT - Northwest Territory ON -Ontario PEI - Prince Edward Island QB - Quebec SK - Saskatchewan YT - Yukon Territory
NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL Canadian Prairie Pothole & Western Boreal Habitat Program
Location: Within the Canadian Prairie Pothole and Western Boreal Forest regions of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, the Yukon and Northwest Territories (Figures 1-2). These areas fall under the Prairie Habitat Joint Venture (PHN) and parts of Bird Conservation Regions 4, 6, 7, 8 and 11.
Grantee Organization: Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC)
Partners and Funding:
PARTNERS FUNDING ($US) 3
U.S. Federal (NAWCA)l 9,488,638 Match Funding
U.S.: Ducks Unlimited Inc. 2 4,744,319 Canadian: Ducks Unlimited Canada2 4,744,319 Match Funding Sub-Total 9,488,638 Total NAWCA & Match Funding 19,977,276
1 Act funds will only be used to pay for activities eligible under 2 CFR Part 230. 2 May contain funding from other agencies, channeled through Ducks Unlimited. 3 Any currency exchange gains will be directed back into NAWCA projects in the PHN.
In addition to the NAWCA and Match contributions identified above, there are Other Contributions to this NAWCA proposal totaling $2,950,000. The contributors and amounts are identified in Appendix A.
Expected Benefits: This proposal describes conservation activities (e.g., Figure 3) critical to North American waterfowl. In fact, Ducks Unlimited organizations from Canada, the U.S. and Mexico identify this program as the highest priority in their International Conservation Plan because North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) goals will not be realized unless conservation efforts succeed in the Prairie Pothole and Western Boreal Forest regions. Not only do the two regions support an average of 72% of North America's breeding ducks, they also benefit the production, moulting and staging of several other priority NAWMP species.
Proposed Activities: This proposal support biodiversity by benefiting other wildlife, including four migratory bird species listed as threatened or endangered in the U.S. and 95 species of other birds that the PHN has adopted as priority species from strategies for Bird Conservation Regions 4, 6, 7, 8 and 11 (Figure 4). They will also benefit nearly 20 species that have been listed as threatened or endangered by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). Society will also benefit from ecological goods and services such as improved water quality, flood attenuation, carbon sequestration, drought control, groundwater recharge and recreation opportunities.
Context of this Proposal: This proposal is the next step in DUC's multi-year commitment to NAWCA, to achieve the goals and objectives of the PHJV under NAWMP . With a goal of supporting the new 2013-2020 PHN Implementation Plan, it will result in 7,867 secured acres and 5,471 enhanced acres of wetlands and associated upland habitat, and will influence another 4,598,985 acres through stewardship activities. All of these efforts will be refined through evaluation, and supported by communications and endowment.
1 Workplan Budget ($U.S.) and Acres:
Wetland Upland Total Total Cost Activities Acres Acres Acres Cost $ I Acre
Securement Fee Simple Acquisition 262 1,100 1,362 $2,452,000 $1,800.29 Conservation Easement 756 2,129 2,885 $1,731,000 $600.00 Conservation Agreement 1,267 2,353 3,620 $2,534,038 $700.01 Sub-total 2,285 5,582 7,867 $6,717,038 Enhancement 650 4,821 5,471 $2,735,000 $499.91 Management 2,197,500 1,456,402 3,653,902 $3 ,116,000 $0.85 Stewardship 3,000,000 1,598,985 4,598,985 $3,150,000 $0.68 Other Functions Communications $43,000 Endowment $378,000 Evaluation $1,391,000 Indirect Costs Approved indirect cost 12.15% rate Indirect cost amount $1,495,238 TOTAL NIA* NIA* NIA* $18,977,276 .. * Acres are not additive because enhancement and management acres have been secured m this and/or prev10us proposals.
Workplan Details:
Securement: Includes paid or donated fee simple acquisitions, conservation easements and conservation agreements. Enhancement: Includes wetland restoration, upland restoration and grazing system infrastructure. Management: Includes operation/maintenance of restored wetlands, management/weed control of planted cover, fencing, annual monitoring efforts and land taxes. Stewardship: Includes promotion of voluntary, sustainable land-use practices. Other Functions: Includes support, evaluation and promotion of NAWCA project objectives.
Public Access: Lands purchased with NAWCA funds are open to the public, subject to regulations to protect the ecological integrity of the site. Public access to private land is by arrangement with the owner.
2 NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL Eastern Habitat Joint Venture - Wetlands Conservation
Location: This proposal will be implemented across the six eastern-most Canadian provinces that include coastal and inland Key Program Areas within Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador (Figure 1). These provinces fall under the Eastern Habitat Joint Venture (EHN), which encompasses Bird Conservation Regions (BCR) 7, 8, 12, 13 and 14 (Figurel).
Grantee Organization: Ducks Unlimited Canada
Partners and Funding: PARTNERS FUNDING ($U.S.)3 U.S. Federal (NAWCA) 1 $2,476,688 Match Funding U.S.: Ducks Unlimited Inc. 2 $1,238,344 Canadian: Ducks Unlimited Canada 2 $1,238,344 Match Funding Sub-Total $2,476,688 Total NA WCA & Match Funding $4,953,376 1 Act funds will only be used to pay for activities eligible under 2 CFR Part 230. 2 May contain funding from other agencies, channelled through Ducks Unlimited Canada or Ducks Unlimited Inc. 3 Any currency exchange gains will be directed back into NAWCA projects in the EHJV.
In addition to the NAWCA and Match contributions identified above, there are Other Contributions to this NAWCA project totalling $2,752,300. The contributors and amounts are identified in Appendix A.
Expected Benefits: This proposal describes conservation activities that are targeted to EHN priority landscapes, which were determined by: 1) breeding and staging habitat distribution; 2) BCR-level habitat and waterfowl distribution and abundance; and 3) habitat threat and/or historic loss. Proposed program accomplishments will help EHN partners work towards achieving the habitat goals outlined in the EHN Implementation Plan (IP). The delivery of a full suite of conservation actions, including securement, enhancement, stewardship and management ("proposed activities"), will help the partnership achieve the EHN IP primity waterfowl population goal of 1.53 million Indicated Breeding Pairs (IBP) across Eastern Canada. Current population estimates reveal a waterfowl deficit of 222,400 IBP for the 13 EHN priority waterfowl species. The elimination of this waterfowl deficit will require proposed activities to address the two primary key factors limiting waterfowl populations: duckling survival and settling rates. In addition to supporting breeding waterfowl, proposed activities will also benefit staging, molting and wintering waterfowl by securing and enhancing wetlands in coastal and agricultural landscapes.
Proposed activities: This proposal will support North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI) plans for shorebirds and water birds within EHN priority areas. Loss, degradation and disturbance of habitat are primary threats outlined in the BCR Plans for regions 7, 8, 12, 13 and 14, and thus make the need to restore high-quality wetlands even more critical. Not only will proposed activities maintain existing, highly valued wetlands into the future, they will also ensure that habitat remains productive for wetland-obligate species within the Mississippi and Atlantic Flyways. This program will also provide benefits to society through flood attenuation, carbon sequestration, drought control, improved water quality, groundwater recharge and recreation opportunities.
Context of this Proposal: This proposal is part of Duck's Unlimited Canada's (DUC) multi-year commitment, to the North American Wetland Conservation Act (NA WCA), to achieve the goals and objectives of the EHJV partners under the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NA WMP). This proposal supports other species-specific joint ventures such as the Sea Duck and Black Duck Joint Ventures with habitat work that benefits sea ducks and American Black Ducks. The proposal also connects with the focus areas of the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture, in which many of the priority EHN waterfowl species overwinter. Through the investment of$4,953 ,376, proposed activities will secure 2,765 acres of habitat (3.4% of EHN goal), enhance 1,265 acres (4.5% of EHN goal) and manage 1,085 ,314 acres of habitat previously secured. Canadian partners will contribute $1 ,238,344 of match funding, with an additional $2,752,300 of partner contributions from
3 other sources (Appendix A). Stewardship activities, communication, and ongoing program evaluation will optimize the overall impacts of proposed activities.
Workplan Budget ($U.S.) and Acres:
Wetland Upland Total Total Cost Activities Acres Acres Acres Cost $/Acre Securement Fee Simple Acquisition & Donations 175 140 315 $164,000 520.63 Conservation Agreements 850 1,600 2,450 $272,200 111.10 Sub-total 1,025 1,740 2,765 $436,200 Enhancement 715 550 1,265 $2,448,956 1,935 .93 Management 322,506 762,808 1,085,314 $1,074,185 0.99 Stewardship 150 700 850 $298,000 350.59 Other Functions Communications $12,401 Endowment $50,000 Evaluation $97,000 Indirect Costs Approved indirect cost rate 12.15% Indirect cost amount $536,634 TOTAL NIA* NIA* NIA* $4,953,376 * Acres are not additive as enhancement and management acres have been secured in this and/or previous proposals.
Workplan Details:
Securement: Acquisitions that include fee title land purchases and donation of private land. Agreements: Conservation agreements signed with landowners (private, industrial, government) to secure wetlands and associated uplands. Enhancement: Actions to increase the landscape's capacity to produce waterfowl: wetland restoration and enhancement; dykes/small berms construction; wetland excavations; water-level management; vegetation control; and nesting structures installation. Management: Actions on previously secured habitat to maintain and/or increase their capacity to produce waterfowl: Includes operation/maintenance of restored wetland, management of vegetation within wetlands, annual inspections and land taxes. Stewardship: Promotion of voluntary, sustainable land-use practices. Other Functions: Includes Evaluation, Endowment Fund, Communications and Indirect cost.
Public Access: Lands purchased with NAWCA funds are open to the public, subject to regulations to protect the ecological integrity of the site.
4 NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL British Columbia Pacific Coastal & Canadian Intermountain Conservation Program
Location: Proposed activities will take place in the program areas of the British Columbia Pacific Birds Habitat Joint Venture (BC-PBHJV) and the Canadian Intermountain Joint Venture (CIJV), in the province of British Columbia (BC). These overlap with portions of Bird Conservation Regions 5, 9 and 10.
Grantee Organization: Ducks Unlimited Canada
Partners and Funding: PARTNERS FUNDING ($US) 3 US Federal (NA WCA) 1 1,038,273 Match Funding US [Ducks Unlimited Inc.] 2 519,137 Canadian [Ducks Unlimited Canada] 2 519,136 Match Funding Sub-Total 1,038,273 Total NAWCA & Match Funding 2,076,546 1 Act funds will only be used to pay for activities eligible under 2 CFR Part 230. 2 May contain funding from other agencies, channelled through DU Inc. and DUC. 3 Any currency exchange gains will be directed back into NAWCA projects m the PBHJV/CIJV.
Expected Benefits: Proposed activities will meet the distinct regional needs of waterfowl. Conservation activities in the BC-PBHN program area focus on providing foraging habitat to benefit more than 30 species of waterfowl that rely on the area's estuaries, tidal wetlands and low-level agricultural lands during migration and wintering. In the interior CIN program area, activities will primarily target rangeland and valley-bottom wetland complexes that provide breeding habitat for 24 species of waterfowl, while protection of larger wetlands that support the region's 38 species of moulting, staging and wintering waterfowl will be a secondary priority. With most wildlife in BC using wetlands at some point, and given that proposed activities will also conserve upland habitats, a wide range of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and fish will benefit from DUC's NAWCA-funded activities in this most diverse of Canada's provinces. Societal benefits such as flood and drought mitigation will also result from NAWCA-funded projects.
Context of this Proposal: This proposal describes the next phase in DUC's multi-year commitment to deliver science-based habitat conservation projects to achieve North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) goals in the BC-PBHJV and the CIJV. Proposed activities support the five-year Implementation Plans approved for both joint ventures. To date, DUC's commitment has resulted in the securement and ongoing conservation of 420,000 priority wetland and upland acres in BC. Proposed activities will continue to target joint venture waterfowl Priority Areas (Figure lA), which were defined according to science-based Decision Support Systems. Selection of specific conservation projects will continue to be based on strong biological science, partner involvement, and cost-effectiveness considerations. The current proposal will add 1,100 acres of securement in PBHJV Priority Areas ( of a total of 1,250 acres in the proposal), which represents 3% of the 20-year habitat securement objective identified in the recent PBHJV Implementation Plan. New or expanded elements include leveraging new Canadian government funding sources to maintain and replace aging infrastructure and conduct new wetland restoration work. DUC continues to coordinate its activities with counterparts in the US-PBHJV and adjacent joint ventures.
5 Workplan Budget ($US) and Acres:
Wetland Upland Total Total Activities Cost $/Acre Acres Acres Acres Cost Securement Conservation Agreements 10 40 50 $ 40,000 800.00 Crown Land 1,050 150 1,200 $170,000 141.67 Designation/Transfer Sub-total 1,060 190 1,250 $210,000 Enhancement 268 115 383 $960,000 2,506.53 Management 164,164 255,580 419,744 $501,580 1.19 Stewardship 1,000 2,000 3,000 $100,000 33.33 Other Functions Evaluation $60,000 Communication $20,000 Indirect Costs Approved Indirect Cost Rate 12.15% Indirect Cost Amount $224,966 TOTAL N/A2 N/A2 N/A2 $2,076,546 1 Cost/acre of fee simple acquisition is relatively low compared to previous proposals because most of these acres will be secured via a private land donation. 2 Acres are not additive, because the enhancement and management acres have already been secured in this and/or previous proposals.
Workplan Details:
Securement: Actions to achieve long-term securement of habitat (10 years to perpetuity) include: Agreements: Crown Land Designations/Transfers, Conservation or Crown Protocol Agreements. Enhancement: Water controls, ditch plugs, wetland excavation, tidal restoration, vegetation cropping and control, farmland improvements and project rebuilds. Management: Water control operation/maintenance, grazing management (fencing/watering), vegetation management/weed control, signage maintenance, project inspections and land taxes. Stewardship: Winter cover crops, relay crops, invasive Spartina eradication. Other Functions: • Evaluation: Actions undertaken to determine results/effectiveness of NAWCA projects and their support of progress towards NAWMP programs. • Communication: Costs associated with NAWMP project delivery. • Indirect Cost Rate: Includes indirect costs as defined by 2 CFR Part 230.
Public Access: Lands purchased with NAWCA funds are open to the public, subject to regulations to protect the site's ecological integrity. Public access to private lands is by arrangement with the owner.
6 NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL Ontario, Quebec & Atlantic: Protecting Wetland & Upland Habitat, EHJV
Location: This proposal targets priority wetlands and associated uplands in the provinces of Ontario (ON), Quebec (QC), New Brunswick (NB), Nova Scotia (NS), Prince Edward Island (PEI) and Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), which are part of the Eastern Habitat Joint Venture (EHN) and within Bird Conservation Regions (BCR) 8, 12, 13 and 14. Grantee Organization: Nature Conservancy of Canada Partners and Funding:
FUNDING PARTNERS ($U.S.)3 U.S. Federal (NA WCA)1 $1,100,000 Match Funding U.S. (FNCC) Friends of the Nature Conservancy of $550,000 Canada, Inc. 2 Canadian (NCC) Nature Conservancy of Canada $550,000 Inc. 2 Match Funding Sub-Total $1,100,000 Total NA WCA & Match Funding $2,200,000 1 Act funds will only be used to pay for activities eligible under 2 CFR Part 230. 2 May contain funding from other agencies, channelled through FNCC or NCC. 3 Any currency exchange gains will be directed back into NA WCA projects in the EHJV.
In addition to the NAWCA and Match contributions identified above, there are Other Contributions to this NA WCA project totalling $550,000. The contributors and amounts are identified in Appendix A.
Expected Benefits: The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) specializes in the direct protection of private lands, including those containing wetlands and associated upland habitats critical to migratory waterfowl. Through a combination of land donation, long term conservation easements, and fee simple acquisition, wetlands are protected from drainage and degradation, while associated uplands protected from cultivation and land clearing. Biological assumptions, securement, enhancement, stewardship, and management activities will focus on preserving: l) important breeding and migratory habitat; 2) staging and moulting habitat; and 3) wintering habitat for waterfowl, shorebirds, grassland and colonial bird species, and additional native flora and fauna. There are thirteen priority EHN waterfowl species directly benefiting from these activities, contributing to a significant portion of the continental population, including: American Black Duck, Black Scoter, Mallard, Ringed-neck Duck, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Eider (3 races), Green-winged Teal, Harlequin Duck, Tundra Swan, Wood Duck, Lesser Scaup, Long-tailed Duck and Canada Goose (5 populations). Further, nesting and/or staging waterfowl benefitting from proposed activities include the Blue winged Teal, Gadwall, Ring-necked Duck, Common Goldeneye, and Redhead. Species at risk assessed by COSEWIC or provincially listed species will also benefit. Work under this agreement will also educate landowners and recreational users about the value of wetlands to wildlife and healthy functioning of ecosystems.
Context of this Proposal: NCC's Natural Areas in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic overlap with EHJV delivery areas critical to maintaining the region's breeding, staging and wintering waterfowl populations and other wetland-dependant wildlife. Workplan activities align with EHJV and NAWMP goals, and address trends and threats regarding wetlands and waterfowl identified in the State of Canada's Birds 2012 Report. In line with NAWMP's objective of maintaining the long-term average of breeding waterfowl, this proposal will also contribute to improving water quality, regulating water quantity and providing habitat for many wetland-dependent non-waterfowl species. As well, all proposal deliverables will help complement the activities of Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) and other EHJV partners, to ensure the effective use of conservation dollars. This proposal builds upon conservation work completed by NCC under previous NA WCA grant agreements. Workplan Budget ($U.S.) and Acres:
Wetland Upland Total Total Cost Activities Acres Acres Acres Cost $/Acre Securement Fee Simple Acquisition 620 950 1,570 $770,000 $490.45 Conservation Agreements 20 80 100 $80,000 $800.00 Sub-total 640 1,030 1,670 $850,000 Enhancement 31 119 150 $80,000 $533.33 Management 20,888 51 ,272 72,160 $229,000 $3 .17 Stewardship 1,420 295 1,715 $630,000 $367.35 Other Functions Reconnaissance and Design $125,000 Coordination $95,000 Communication Education $18,000 Evaluation $8,000 Endowment Fund $165,000 TOTAL NIA* NIA* NIA* $2,200,000 * Acres are not additive as enhancement and management acres have been secured in this and/or previous proposals. Workplan Details: Securement: 1) Acquisition: fee simple acquisition, free land title, donation, bargain sale, tax sale. 2) Agreements: donation or purchase of conservation easements (servitudes). Enhancement: Wetland restoration, water control structures, seeding cropland to perennial cover. Management: Property management plan production, implementation of plan actions that directly benefit wetlands and associated uplands, land transfer to partners, establishment of nature reserve status, annual property inspections and site monitoring, lease agreements, repairs and maintenance, signage and fencing, tax payments. Stewardship: Wetland restoration on priority non-NCC-owned land (Common Reed control including purchase of a Marsh Master [or similar]), short-term agreements with land managers, landowner booklets and voluntary conservation agreements. Other Functions: Reconnaissance and design, communications, coordination, evaluation, endowment fund
Public Access: Lands purchased with NA WCA funds are open to the public, subject to regulations to protect the ecological integrity of the site. NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL Prairies: Protecting Wetlands and Uplands, PHJV
Location: The NCC-Prairies: Protecting Wetlands & Uplands, Prairie Habitat Joint Venture (PHJV, 2016-2) proposal will occur exclusively within the Prairie and Aspen Parkland ecoregions of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Activities will be focused in, but not limited to, PHN target areas. This area corresponds to the Canadian portion of Bird Conservation Region #11 .
Grantee Organization: Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC)
Partners and Funding: PARTNERS FUNDING ($U.S.)3 U.S. Federal (NAWCA) 1 $900,000 Match Funding U.S.: Friends of the Nature Conservancy of $450,000 Canada Inc. 2 Canadian: Nature Conservancy of Canada 2 $450,000 Match Funding Sub-Total $900,000 Total NAWCA & Match Funding $1,800,000 1 Act funds will only be used to pay for activities eligible under 2 CFR Part 230. 2 May contain funding from other agencies, channelled through Friends of the Nature Conservancy of Canada Inc. and the Nature Conservancy of Canada. 3 Any currency exchange gains will be directed back into NAWCA projects in the PHJV.
Expected Benefits: The NCC-Prairies: Protecting Wetlands and Uplands, PHN (2016-2) proposal is the Nature Conservancy of Canada's (NCC) contribution to the ongoing wetland habitat conservation work of the PHN and its partners. This proposal will enable additional, long-term securement and management of prime waterfowl breeding habitat, a continuing foundation of the new PHN 2013-2020 Implementation Plan and recent North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) Revision. Securement will target intact wetland and native upland complexes achieved by both fee simple acquisition and perpetual conservation easements. Securement is more critical now than ever before in the PHN, as these wetland and native upland habitat complexes face mounting risk of loss due to high agricultural commodity prices, rising land value, and competition for land. Preventing loss of critical habitat complexes that serve a broad range life cycle needs for waterfowl and other wetland-dependent wildlife are generalized benefits resulting from this proposal. Retrospective estimates of PHN -scale benefits to waterfowl populations (all ducks) were recently undertaken in the Accomplishments section of the new PHJV 2013-2020 Implementation Plan. Results are favourable; populations have exceeded revised NAWMP targets with the exception of only two species (Northern Pintail and American Wigeon). The current trend (2011) suggests a slight productivity decline from levels in 2006 and approximating levels experienced in 2001 . While climatic conditions and landuse changes remain the dominant trend driver, the analysis offers evidence that PHJV securement and management programs provide concrete and measurable population effects in both increasing trend highs and buffering trend lows. Extrapolating these results, expected benefits of this proposal are continuing contributions to positive PHN program effects within the mix of population trend drivers. Co-benefits are demonstrated by many NCC projects for colonial waterbirds, wading birds and several species at risk (e.g. Loggerhead Shrike, Ferruginous Hawk, and Burrowing Owl).
Context of this Proposal: The NCC-Prairies: Protecting Wetlands and Uplands, PHJV (2016-2) proposal is a multi-year NAWCA project that will directly contribute to habitat objectives in the new PHJV 2013-2020 Implementation Plan. Specifically, it will build on past accomplishments to address redefined habitat retention objectives for wetlands and associated native uplands. The PHJV's updated Waterfowl Productivity Model was a key tool to enable both a retrospective analysis and projections of new PHN habitat retention and restoration objectives; NCC directly supported this work. NCC is a longstanding (2001) and respected partner in NAWMP at national (NA WCC Canada), PHN (Advisory BOD), and all prairie provinces (Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba Provincial NAWMP Committees). New in this proposal is incorporation of the new PHJV 2013-2020 Implementation Plan and NCC adoption ofrenewed guidance it provides on securement activities.
7 Workplan Budget ($U.S.) and Acres:
Wetland Upland Total Total Cost Activities Acres Acres Acres Cost $/Acre Securement Fee Simple Acquisition 156 554 710 $989,944 $1,394.29 Conservation Easement 53 187 240 $55,570 $231.54 Sub-total 209 741 950 $1,045,514 Enhancement 0** 0 0 $0** $0 Management 17,147 60,782 77,929 $378,385 $4.86 Stewardship 0 0 0 $0 $0 Other Functions
Coordination $71,738 Reconnaissance & $118,602 Design Endowment Fund $185,761 TOTAL NIA* NIA* NIA* $1,800,000 * Acres are not additive as enhancement and management acres have been secured in this and/or previous proposals. ** Wetland acres are enhanced and claimed by NAWMP partner (DUC).
Workplan Details:
Securement: Activities that protect waterfowl carrying capacity of a wetlands conservation project. Acquisition: Obtain real property interest of land title through fee simple acquisition. Agreements: Obtain real property interest through perpetual conservation easement. Enhancement: Activities that improve waterfowl carrying capacity of a wetlands conservation project. In this proposal, pertains only to wetland enhancement (restoration) facilitated through a NAWMP partner (DUC). Management: Activities that maintain waterfowl carrying capacity of a wetlands conservation project. Management includes inspection and compliance monitoring, implementing management actions, maintaining management infrastructure (e.g. fencing, signs), and payment of municipal property taxes. Other Functions: Includes Coordination, Reconnaissance & Design, and Endowment Fund for long term management. (Note: No NAWCA funds sourced for Endowment Fund).
Public Access: Lands purchased with NAWCA funds are open to the public, subject to regulations to protect the ecological integrity of the site.
8 NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL Potholes Plus Project
Location: The Potholes Plus Project will be delivered within the Prairie Habitat Joint Venture, including parts of Manitoba and Saskatchewan. This area aligns closely with the Bird Conservation Region 11 - The Prairie Potholes. The majority of project activity will occur in Manitoba's NAWMP Delivery Area and Target Landscapes. Grantee Organization: The Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation Partners and Funding:
PARTNERS FUNDING ($U.S.)"' U.S. Federal (NA WCA) 1 250,000 Match Funding U.S.: Delta Waterfowl Foundation2 125,000 Canadian: Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation2 125,000 Match Funding Sub-Total 250,000 Total NAWCA & Match Funding 500,000 1 Act funds will only be used to pay for activities eligible under 2 CFR Part 230. 2 May contain funding from other agencies, channelled through Delta and MHHC. 3 Any currency exchange gains will be directed back into NAWCA projects in the PHJV. In addition to the NAWCA and Match contributions identified above, there are Other Contributions to this NAWCA project totalling $212,500. The contributors and amounts are identified in Appendix A. Expected Benefits: This project will result in an increase of 11 ,480 acres of secured and restored breeding, staging and moulting habitat for waterfowl and other wetland-dependant species. The protection of these lands will ensure valuable habitat will forever remain a part of the landscape. All work will be completed within the Prairie Habitat Joint Venture (PHN), an area that supports over 50% of mid-continental breeding waterfowl. Benefits will accrue to a variety waterfowl and wetland related species, including mallards, of which an estimated 7,500 will be fledged as a result of the installation of 400 nesting structures. Perpetual securement of 810 acres of breeding habitat within Manitoba's NAWMP Target Landscapes will be complemented by the securement of 9,960 acres of wetland habitat within one of Canada's iconic wetlands, Big Grass Marsh. This represents a third block of habitat in the Marsh and complements two blocks secured previously. This final habitat block means that an Important Bird Area known for its waterfowl and congregatory species benefits will be protected in perpetuity and more than 43,000 acres of key waterfowl molting and staging habitat will remain available for continued use by waterfowl and wetland associated bird species. This is the direct result ofMHHC's ability to work with private landowners and local governments. In total, 10,770 acres of existing habitat will be secured in perpetuity and a further 450 acres will be secured under medium-term agreements. The final elements of this proposal will restore or enhance 510 acres wetland habitat. Within this, 400 acres are associated with the installation of nest structures (as described above) and 110 acres of wetland and associated upland habitat will be restored. Of the 510 acres of enhancement, 450 acres will be completed in conjunction with the medium-term securement agreements. Stewardship activities will account for an additional 200 acres of upland and wetland restorations under stewardship agreements. This latter activity will be supported entirely by Match funding and will serve to engage a wider array of private landowners and form a base of conservation participants for future long-term programmmg.
Context of this Proposal: This is MHHC's ninth proposal submitted to NA WCA. All proposals have adhered to the guidance and targeting provided under NAWMP and implementation plan priorities for the PHJV. Through the eight previous grants, MHHC has completed perpetual securements on 44,000 acres of prime waterfowl breeding, molting and staging habitat in Manitoba. This work along with complementary securements MHHC has completed using other funding makes the Corporation one of the top three holders of conservation easements in Canada with perpetual securements on more than 175,000 acres of habitat through more than 800 agreements. MHHC is the Manitoba coordinator for NAWMP implementation. Its staff have an in-depth understanding of the science and planning process behind the targeted delivery of waterfowl conservation actions. All activities completed under MHHC's NAWCA grant work to directly support the goals of the PHJV and the wider NAWMP. Further, the delivery of these conservation tools aligns with the recently
11 revised PHN implementation plan. This proposal will contribute 16.2% of the habitat securement objective and 29.4% of the nesting structure objective in the new Manitoba NAWMP implementation plan (2013-2020). Workplan Budget ($U.S.) and Acres: Wetland Upland Total Total Cost Activities Acres Acres Acres Cost $/Acre Securement Conservation Easement 9,932 838 10,770 $290,000 26.93 Conservation Agreements 450 0 450 $71,075 157.94 Sub-total 10,382 838 11,220 $361,075 Enhancement 500 10 510 $58,675 115.05 Management 46,780 46,000 92,780 $ 35,750 0.39 Stewardship 85 115 200 $44,500 222 .50 Other Functions [Include the total cost for each activity eligible for NA WCA and/or Match Funds only, please add additional rows if necessary.] NIA $0 Indirect Costs [Include the avvroved indirect cost rate and the total indirect cost amount ifapplicable.] Approved indirect cost rate NIA Indirect cost amount NIA TOTAL NIA* NIA* NIA* $500,000 * Acres are not additive as enhancement and management acres have been secured in this and/or previous proposals. Workplan Details: Securement: Perpetual conservation easements and term conservation agreements will be used Enhancement: Wetland restorations and nesting structure installation will serve to enhance wetlands Management: Compliance monitoring of previously secured habitats and maintenance of Hen Houses to ensure ongoing productivity. Stewardship: Delivery of upland and wetland restoration, retention and enhancement activities under an ecological goods and services framework with agreement terms of less than 10 years Other Functions: None Public Access: Lands purchased with NAWCA funds are open to the public, subject to regulations to protect the ecological integrity of the site and permission of the landowner.
12 NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL British Columbia: CIJV and PBHJV Wetland-Associated Migratory Bird Habitat Conservation
Location: This proposal targets priority wetlands and associated uplands in areas of the Pacific Habitat Bird Joint Venture (PHBJV) and the Canadian Intermountain Joint Venture (CIJV) located within the province of British Columbia. This Canadian portion of the PHBN is within Bird Conservation Region (BCR) 5 and the Canadian component of the CIJV includes portions of BCRs 9 and 10 (Figure 1). The proposed works under this grant agreement will be focused in NCC's Natural Areas where there is overlap with Regionally and Continentally Significant Waterfowl Areas, including the Kootenay Rockies, South Okanagan Similkameen, and Salish Sea.
Grantee Organization: Nature Conservancy of Canada
Partners and Funding: PARTNERS FUNDING ($U.S.)3 U.S. Federal (NAWCA) 1 $200,000 Match Funding U.S. Friends of the Nature Conservancy $100,000 of Canada, Inc. 2 Canadian 2 $100,000 Match Funding Sub-Total $200,000 Total NAWCA & Match Funding $400,000 1 Act funds will only be used to pay for activities eligible under 2 CPR Part 230. 2 May contain funding from other agencies, channelled through Friends of the Nature Conservancy of Canada, Inc. and Nature Conservancy of Canada. 3 Any currency exchange gains will be directed back into NAWCA projects in the PHBN and CIN.
In addition to the NAWCA and Match contributions identified above, there are Other Contributions to this NAWCA project totalling $702,914. The contributors and amounts are identified in Appendix A.
Expected Benefits: NCC specializes in the direct protection of private lands including those critical to migratory waterfowl. The conservation of wetlands and associated uplands provide critical habitat for waterfowl, shorebirds, waterbirds and wetland-associated land birds within the PBHN and the CIJV in British Columbia. Proposed activities will likely provide ecological and conservation benefits for the following PBHN species: Red Necked and Eared Grebe, Brant, Surf Seater, Greater Scaup, Mallard, Cinnamon Teal, Northern Pintail, Blue-winged Teal, American Wigeon, Barrow's Goldeneye, Oystercatcher, Great Blue Heron, Northern Shoveler, Bald Eagle, Trumpeter Swan, Harlequin Duck, Black-necked Stilt, Spotted Sandpiper, and Killdeer. Most of this benefit is for staging or overwintering populations, although it is hoped that some better breeding habitat can be provided. Within the CIJV, NCC's work will benefit primarily breeding waterfowl, as the numbers of wintering migratory waterfowl are smaller, and the large distance migration needs are more effectively addressed through international policy programs. The work anticipated in this proposal will directly benefit twenty-four species of breeding waterfowl, including Mallard, Blue-winged Teal, Ruddy Duck, Harlequin Duck, Lesser Scaup and Barrow's Goldeneye. Many species of shorebirds, water birds and wetland-associated land birds will also benefit, including Killdeer, American Bittern, and Yellow-headed Blackbird. Conservation activities in this proposal will also provide benefits for at-risk species including American Avocet, Great Blue Heron, Sandhill Crane, Yellow-breasted Chat and Peregrine Falcon. Auxiliary benefits for wide number of species, some of them endangered species both in British Columbia and continentally will also result from this habitat protection. By improving habitat requirements for bird species targeted by legal hunting activities there may also be natural benefits for the numbers and variety of fish species available for recreational fishing opportunities. Protecting and improving community water source quality is a goal, as is the protection of conservation compatible community activities such as tourism, sustainable forestry harvesting and ranching practices, bird watching, hiking and a wide variety of traditional and innovative employment opportunities.
Context of this Proposal: This proposal focuses on securement, enhancement and management of wetland and associated upland habitats critical to maintaining the region's breeding, staging and wintering waterfowl populations. Activities in this
13 proposal will build on activities completed under past NAWCA proposals in both BC Joint Ventures. NCC securement, management and enhancement activities are guided by Natural Area Conservation Plans (NACPs). NACPs focus on key targets and threats. NACP strategies are consistent with the CIJV Implementation Plan (2010) and with the new PBHN Implementation Plan (PBHN 2015).
Workplan B u d12et ($US).. an d A cres: Wetland Upland Total Total Cost Activities Acres Acres Acres Cost $/Acre Securement 86 300 386 $200,000 $518.13* Fee Simple Acquisition Sub-total 86 300 386 $200,000 Enhancement 76 413 489 $61,244 $125.24* Management 3,068 16,597 19,665 $68,756 $3.50* Stewardship 0 0 0 $0 Other Functions Reconnaissance & Design $20,000 Coordination $50,000 TOTAL NIA** NIA** NIA** $400,000
*Cost/Acre does not include Additional Contributions supporting these activities as described in Appendix A. ** Acres are not additive as enhancement and management acres have been secured in this and/or previous proposals .
Workplan Details:
Securement: Acquisition: Obtain real property interest of land title through fee simple acquisition. Enhancement: Wetland restoration, riparian fencing, native vegetation planting and removal of weeds, re-channelling, bottom clean-up where necessary and feasible. Management: Management includes inspection and compliance monitoring, implementing management actions, maintaining management infrastructure (e.g. fencing, signs), and payment of municipal property taxes. Other Functions: Includes Coordination and Reconnaissance & Design activities.
Public Access: Lands purchased with NAWCA funds are open to the public, subject to regulations to protect the ecological integrity of the site.
14 NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL Prairie Pothole Region Landscapes
Location: Prairie and parkland habitat within the Eastern Plains, Sullivan Lake, Vermilion/Viking and Wintering Hills landscapes in Alberta, the Allan/Dana Hills, Lightning, Missouri Coteau, Pheasant Hills, Thickwood and Upper Assiniboine landscapes in Saskatchewan, and the Alexander/Griswold, Killarney, Minnedosa/Shoal and Virden landscapes in Manitoba ("proposed landscapes"). All proposed landscapes are within the Canadian portion of the Prairie Pothole Region (FIGURE 1), and are Target Landscapes for the Prairie Habitat Joint Venture (FIGURE 2.2) and Bird Conservation Region 11 (FIGURE 4).
Grantee Organization: Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC)
Partners and Funding:
PARTNERS FUNDING ($US) 3 U.S. Federal (NAWCA) 1 $5,000,000 Match Funding U.S. [Ducks Unlimited Inc. (DUI)] 2 $2, 500,000 Canadian [Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC)] 2 $2, 500,000
Match Funding Sub-Total $5,000,000 Total NAWCA & Match Funding $ 10,000,000 1 Act funds will only be used to pay for activities eligible under 2 CFR Part 230. 2 May contain funding from other agencies, channelled through DUI, DUC and/or NCC. 3 Any currency exchange gains will be directed back into MBTA projects in the PHJV.
Proposed Activities: The goal is to conserve habitat in the Canadian portion of the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR; FIGURES 1 and 2.2) to provide long-term benefits to species impacted by the British Petroleum Oil Spill and identified as priorities for Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) Gulf Spill Funds by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ("priority spill-affected species") (APPENDICES A and B). Within the proposed landscapes, DUC and partners will secure - via fee simple acquisition and conservation easement - private lands on which to restore drained wetlands, convert croplands to upland nesting habitat and retain intact tracts of habitat with a high density and diversity of wetlands intermixed with uplands at high risk of being converted to cropland (FIGURE 2). In addition, proposed enhancement activities will restore small, shallow wetland basins via simple earthen ditch plugs and engineered control structures, in addition to restoring uplands by converting crops to hay, delayed hay (i.e., hayland where the first hay cut is delayed until after July 15), and dense nesting cover (DNC; i.e., grasses and/or forbs planted for wildlife cover) (FIGURE 3). All proposed activities contribute to habitat conservation goals identified in Bird Conservation Region (BCR) 11 (FIGURE 4), and they are tightly aligned with Prairie Habitat Joint Venture (PHN) goals (but do not share deliverables with other PHJV proposals for NAWCA funding).
Expected Benefits: In general, proposed activities will secure important breeding, migrating and staging habitat for 22 priority spill-affected species (FIGURE 1). The proposed landscapes are located within the Canadian portion of the PPR, where there has been significant wetland and upland loss due to the drainage and degradation of
1 wetlands (FIGURES 3.3 and 3.4) and the conversion of upland habitats to cropland- and where this loss continues unabated. Table 1 outlines the direct benefits of each proposed conservation activity for priority spill- affected species with a strong nexus between the Canadian PPR and the portion of the Gulf of Mexico that was impacted by the British Petroleum Oil Spill (details , including maps and citations, are provided in APPENDICES A and B).
W or k panI B u d.2e t ($US) an d A cres: Wetlan Uplan Tota Tota Cost Activities d d l l $ I Acre An-n~ A n-n~ A --- rn~• Securement Fee Acquisition 630 2,523 3,153 $5 ,534,000 $1 ,755.15 Conservation Easement 548 2,880 3,428 $2,109,000 $615.23 Sub-total 1,178 5,403 6,581 $7,643,000 Enhancement 178 2,050 2,228 $1 ,142,000 $512.57 Indirect Cost $1 ,215,000 Funding Total $10,000,000
Workplan Details: Securement: • Fee Acquisition: Fee simple acquisition and land title donations will secure: o 145 acres of seasonal wetlands; 335 acres of semi-permanent wetlands; 45 acres of permanent wetlands; and 105 acres of other wetland types. o 1,211 acres of grazed grasslands; 829 acres of haylands; 231 acres of idled grasslands; 129 acres of grazed parkland; and 123 acres of idled parklands. • Conservation Easement: Purchased and donated perpetual conservation easements will secure: o 138 acres of seasonal wetlands; 271 acres of semi-permanent wetlands; 54 acres of permanent wetlands; and 85 acres of other wetland types. o 1,403 acres of grazed grasslands; 1,015 acres of haylands; 256 acres of idled grasslands; 144 acres of grazed parklands; and 62 acres of idled parklands. Enhancement: • Enhancement programs will include restoration of: o Wetlands: 117 acres of seasonal wetlands; and 61 acres of semi-permanent wetlands. o Uplands: 1,120 acres of grazed grasslands; 888 acres of haylands; and 42 acres of idled grasslands.
Public Access: Lands purchased with MBTA Gulf Spill Funding are open to the public, subject to regulations to protect the ecological integrity of the site. Public access to private land will be by arrangement with the owner.
2 NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL Parkland Bird Production Project Location: This project will occur within the Manitoba portion of the Prairie Habitat Joint Venture (PHN) and at the transition of Bird Conservation Regions 11 (Prairie Potholes) and 6 (Boreal Taiga Plain). The northern boundary of the target area abuts a national park and 66% of the target area is coincident with the revised NAWMP Target Landscape of Minnedosa-Shoal Lake. Located in the prairie pothole region of Manitoba the project will be delivered in the highest spill-affected species richness density (USFWS, 2014). Grantee Organization: Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation Partners and Funding:
PARTNERS FUNDING ($U.S.) 3 U.S. Federal (NA WCA) 1 $ 300,000 Match Funding $ 300,000 2 U.S. [Delta Waterfowl Foundation (DWF)] $ 150,000 Canadian [Environment Canada] $ 150,000 Match Funding Sub-Total $ 300,000 Total NA WCA & Match Funding $ 600,000 1 Act funds will only be used to pay for activities eligible under 2 CFR Part 230. 2 May contain funding from other agencies, channelled through DWF. 3 Any currency exchange gains will be directed back into MBTA projects in the PHN. Proposed Activities: Delivered by the Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation (MHHC), the work conducted under this proposal will secure and enhance 821 acres of threatened natural wetland and upland habitat. All securement work (796 acres) will occur on privately owned lands, while wetland restoration (25 acres) will occur on lands currently owned by MHHC. In addition to targeting priority conservation activities and BP spill-affected species, this proposal aligns with the 2013-2020 PHJV Habitat Implementation Plan (in-press) as well as relevant BCR plans (Environment Canada, 2013a & 2013b). It also directly addresses the ongoing threat of habitat loss in the area due to agricultural expansion and rural residential development. While the majority of the target area aligns with a key Target Landscape defined in PHJV's 2013 - 2020 Habitat Implementation Plan (in-press), adjacent areas that are important to a significant number of priority BP species are also included. The target area in this proposal connects to a 1,150 mi2 national park that is explicitly managed for wildlife habitat. Securement and enhancement will focus on the range of prairie pothole wetland types and a combination of grassland and forested upland cover. Expected Benefits: This project is designed to explicitly benefit migratory waterfowl, waterbirds and landbirds impacted by the British Petroleum (BP) Macondo spill in 2010. Of the 222 breeding bird species identified in the project's delivery area (BSC, 2015), work is focused on 15 bird species with a clear nexus to the Gulf of Mexico coast. This selective targeting will ensure that MHHC can protect a habitat complex capable of supporting breeding, rearing and foraging needs of these species. By preserving and restoring these lifecycle habitat requirements, this project is working to improve the populations of the 15 target species. The target species include: Lesser Scaup, Canvasback, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, American Wigeon, Northern Pintail, Mallard, Le Conte's Sparrow, Nelson's Sparrow, Sedge Wren, Marsh Wren, Yellow Rail, Pied-billed Grebe, Horned Grebe and American Bittern (oiled spp.).
3 Being aligned with the Minnedosa-Shoal Lake Target Landscape ensures breeding benefits will be realized by the targeted waterfowl species as it contains breeding pair densities of >30 per square mile (DUC, 2014). However, not only will the waterfowl benefit, but the targeted waterbirds and landbirds will also benefit as they have similar habitat requirements for their breeding, rearing and foraging as summarized in Table 2 and detailed in Appendix A and B. Workplan Budget ($U.S.) and Acres: Wetland Upland Total Total Cost Activities Acres Acres Acres Cost $/Acre Securement Conservation 398 398 796 $ 565,000 $ 709.80 Easement Sub-total 398 398 796 $565,000 Enhancement 25 - 25 $35,000 $ 1,400.00
Workplan Details: Securement: Easement Acquisition: Perpetual conservation easements will secure wetland and associated upland habitat complexes with a focus on Class II (20 ac), Class III (200 ac), Class IV (100 ac) and Class V (78 ac) wetlands (Stewart and Kantrud, 1971 ). These wetland classes encompass shallow, deep and permanent water zones with Carex, Glyceria, Scirpus and Typha species. Securement of mixed-grass prairie and aspen-dominated uplands will total approximately 200 acres and 198 acres respectively. Enhancement: Wetland Restoration: The restoration of drained wetlands will be undertaken to return the disturbed habitat to its historical water level and function. Twenty-five acres of previously drained wetlands will be restored to return the wetland-low-prairie, wet-meadow and shallow-marsh zones. These will primarily consist of Poa, Agropyron, Carex, Glyceria species. Public Access: Lands purchased with MBTA funds are open to the public, subject to regulations to protect the ecological integrity of the site and landowner permission.
4 NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT
April 20, 2016
Mexico Proposals
Rank & Map NAWCA Partner Acres Title State** Recipient Organization Number* Request Match Affected*** Hydrological Protection and Restoration of Key Wetland 1 Habitats in the Alvarado Lagoon System, Veracruz, and Laguna CAM, VER Pronatura Mexico - Veracruz $454,530 $810,339 5,521 de Terminos, Campeche
Conservation Strategy for Migratory Bird Habitats at Laguna 2 TAMPS Pronatura Noreste $408,321 $1,078,562 4,046 Madre, Phase I
Restoring Migratory Bird Habitat in the Colorado River Delta, 3 through Wetland Restoration and Allocation of Environmental BCN, SON Pronatura Noroeste $564,886 $1,131,000 988 Flows, Phase II
Integrated Conservation and Management of Laguna 4 Santiaguillo, Durango and the Northwest Chihuahua Wetland CHIH, DGO Pronatura Noreste $266,170 $343,229 79,117 Complex (CHNC), Chihuahua
Long-term Protection of the El Arco Wetland as Wintering 5 BCN Terra Peninsular $76,220 $79,665 72 Habitat for Black Brant
Habitat Management and Monitoring of Shorebirds in 6 BCN,BCS,NAY,SIN,SON Pronatura Noroeste $340,237 $761,740 360,429 Northwest Mexico
Protection and Restoration of Wintering Habitat for the Black 7 BCN Terra Peninsular $63,000 $86,646 364 Brant
Totals: $2,173,364 $4,291,181 450,537
*Proposals are in rank order instead of alphabetical order . ••state abbreviations: *** Proposal 6 includes 358,626 management acres. BCN - Baja California Norte BCS - Baja California Sur CAM - Campeche CHIH - Chihuahua DGO - Durango NAY - Nayarit SIN - Sinaloa SON - Sonora TAMPS -Tamaulipas VER - Veracruz
North American Wetlands Conservation Act Mexico Proposals April 20 , 2016 (Numbers correspond to proposal rank order)
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NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL Hydrological Protection and Restoration of Key Wetland Habitats in theAlvarado Lagoon System, Veracruz and the Laguna de Terminos, Campeche
Project Location/Wetland Values: The project will be implemented in the coastal wetlands of the Gulf of Mexico, Veracruz State, within the 715,175 acre Alvarado Wetland Complex (ALS) and at the Laguna de Terminos, in the state of Campeche. Both are Mexican Priority Wetlands, Key Wetlands for Shorebirds and Waterbirds. ALS is also a Key Wetland for Waterfowl. These sites provide habitat to at least 346 bird species: 17 ducks (Anatidae), 15 heron (Ardeidae), 28 raptors (Accipitridae, Falconidae), 28 shorebirds (Charadriidae, Recurvirostridae, Scolopacidae), 14 gulls and terns (Laridae), 5 kingfishers (Alcedinidae), 27 flycatchers (Tyrannidae), 30 warblers (Parulidae) and 16 blackbirds (Icteridae). TheAlvarado wetlands host the highly imperiled snowy plover, red knot and the buff-breasted sandpiper. Seventy-four species of migratory species visit the ALS and Laguna de Terminos including: Northern pintail, lesser scaup, blue-winged teal, cinnamon teal, canvasback, redhead, green-winged teal, ring-necked duck, sora, purple gallinule, American golden plover, Wilson' s plover, solitary sandpiper, whimbrel, ruddy turnstone, sanderling, Western sandpiper, dunlin, short-billed dowitcher, and Wilson's phalarope.
Project Goals/Deliverables: The project will: 1) protect 1,730 acres ofwetlands-247 acres will be acquired and 1,483 acres will be certified as private conservation areas in the Alvarado wetlands; and, 2) restore 3,791 at the two sites-580 acres in the Alvarado Lagoon System and 3,212 acres at Laguna deTerminos.
Grantee Organization: Pronatura Mexico, A.C. - Veracruz is a non-governmental organization dedicated to conservation in Veracruz state and Campeche state.
Source of Funds: NAWCA $ 454,530 Partners $ 810,339 Pronatura Mexico, A.C. $278,252 State & Federal Government $191,087 Local Partners $341 ,000 Total $1,264,869
Funding History: Pronatura Mexico, A.C. - Veracruz has received 10 previous NAWCA grants.
Special Considerations: The Veracruz coast is one of the most important waterfowl and shorebird continental migratory routes. Pronatura's banding and recapture data show that the Alvarado Wetland Complex is very important for waterfowl and other aquatic bird populations. The high productivity of this wetland is a result of the more than 9,884,215 acres of water capture, which favor an adequate hydro period with available food for the birds. However, extensive cattle grazing and forest fires threaten this wetland complex, especially its mangroves. In the last 24 years more than 12,355 acres of mangroves have been lost at both sites, with more than 56,834 wetland acres turned into grasslands. NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL Conservation Strategy for Migratory Bird Habitats at Laguna Madre, Phase I
Project Location/Wetland Values: The project area is in Northeastern Mexico, within the Laguna Madre and the Rio Grande Delta Wetland Complex--a Mexican Federal Protected Area, at two sites in Tamaulipas state: one at San Fernando County, Tamaulipas, in the middle region of the Laguna Madre and one at the northern end of the Laguna Madre. The Laguna Madre Wetland Complex is a Mexican Priority Wetland, a Key Area for Waterfowl, a Key Area for Shorebirds and an Important Area for Waterbirds. 134 aquatic and semi-aquatic bird species have been registered in the area, including 15% of all waterfowl migrating to Mexico and more than 100,000 shorebirds. It is estimated that during winter at least 50,000 migratory waterfowl will use this habitat. 36% of the Redhead population winter at Laguna Madre as well as shorebirds that include piping plover, with close to 6% of the world wintering population; Wilson's plover, Kentish plover, American oystercatcher and sanderling.
Project's Goals/Deliverables: The project will 1) protect 3,639 acres through conservation agreements; 2) restore 321 acres of freshwater wetlands; 3) restore 86.5 acres of dunes/beach on barrier islands; 4) control erosion along 3.11 miles of islands in the northern section of Laguna Madre; 5) conduct studies on soil loss, hydrology, and mangrove status; 6) monitor waterfowl; 7) implement environmental education and awareness program that will impact 200 students, develop a Laguna Madre bird booklet and train 15 teachers from primary schools; and 8) develop two management plans and register the areas as an environmental management unit.
Grantee Organization: Pronatura Noreste, A.C., a non-governmental conservation organization.
Source of Funds: NAWCA $ 408,321 Partners $1,078,562 Pronatura Noreste, A.C. $ 33,500 Tamaulipas State Port Authority $857,550 Institute of Applied Ecology/IEUAT $ 92,742 CONANP (APFFLMDRB) $ 80,770 Ciudad Victoria Technological Institute $ 14,000 Total $1,486,883
Funding History: Pronatura Noreste has received 19 previous NAWCA grants.
Special Considerations: The Laguna Madre is one of the most important sites on the Gulf of Mexico for wintering migratory birds. This wetland complex contains a large area of lakes with hyper-saline water along with small inland freshwater ponds that host waterfowl species like Redheads and Northern pintails that depend on drinking freshwater to dilute the salts consumed when feeding on the sea grasses of the Laguna Madre. The degradation that refuge and feeding habitats for migratory waterbirds have undergone will be addressed through development of a habitat management strategy, which includes the management of essential landscape components, conservation and restoration of ecosystems. NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL Restoring Migratory Bird Habitat in the Colorado River Delta, through Wetland Restoration and Allocation of Environmental Flows, Phase II
Project Location/Wetland Values: The project will take place in the Colorado River Delta, Baja California and Sonora, Mexico, an area of more than 100,000 acres. The Delta is a Mexican Priority Wetland, a Key Wetland for Shorebirds and an Important Area for Waterbirds. As such, it provides a diversity of habitat types including riparian areas, brackish marshes, and tidal mudflats which support 380 species, over 350,000 wintering water birds and over 60,000 ducks and geese. The high priority species of waterfowl that winter in the area include: Northern pintail, mallard, cinnamon teal, redhead and American wigeon. Shorebird high priority species include: long-billed curlew, Western sandpiper and short billed dowitcher. Some of the largest colonies of snowy plover are found in the Delta. Over 120 species of waterbirds winter in the region including: least tern, snowy egret, black skimmer, gull-billed tern, and sora, as well as more than 75% of the Federally Protected Yuma clapper rail. Approximately 20,000 marsh birds nest in the area including Virginia rails, black rails and least bittern.
Project's Goals/Deliverables: The project will: 1) purchase the perpetual rights to 3,750,000 m3/3,040 acre feet per year of water, to; 2) restore 988 wetland acres; 3) continue outreach efforts directly targeting 1,000 people; and 4) implement a monitoring program to assess the hydrological and ecological response of the ecosystem to the delivery of water.
Grantee Organization: Pronatura Noroeste, A.C., a non-governmental organization engaged in conservation projects throughout northwest Mexico.
Source of Funds: NAWCA $ 564,886 Partners $ 1,131,000 Pronatura N oroeste $831,000 Sonoran Institute $300,000 Total $1,695,886
Funding History: Pronatura Noroeste has received 41 previous NAWCA grants.
Special Considerations: This proposal presents the continuation of a joint, long-term effort to restore the Colorado River Delta, started in 1997, supported by a bi-national partnership of organizations with the long-term goal of restoring and protecting 100,000 acres in the Delta. The main threat to the wetland habitats has been the lack of guaranteed water sources which endangers the existing habitat for water birds. Through the projects supported by NAWCA, the applicant has been able to dedicate water for the environment, secure the long-term protection of wetlands in the federal zone, establish conservation easements, and restore or enhance over 7,400 acres of wetlands. A bi-national process has been in place since 2009, coordinated by the International Boundary and Water Commission. With NAWCA's support the grantee will be able to further develop, test and implement their strategy for the allocation of water for wetlands. NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL Integrated Conservation and Management of Laguna Santiaguillo, Durango and the Northwest Chihuahua Wetland Complex (CHNC), Chihuahua
Project Location/Wetland Values: The project is located at two sites, one in northwest Chihuahua at the Villa Ahumada & Annexes and Rancho Nuevo Ejidos and the other in central Durango,at the Arnulfo R. Gomez, J. Cruz Galvez, and Miguel Hidalgo ejidos near Canatlan and the ejidos San Jose de Morillitos and Libertadores del Llano near Nuevo Ideal. 35 waterfowl species have been recorded at Laguna de Santiaguillo. The most important species for conservation and abundance at this Laguna are the Mexican duck, Northern pintail, Northern shoveler, green-winged teal and bufflehead, white-fronted goose and snow goose. The CHNC hosts 3 to 5% of the winter population of waterfowl in Mexico. The most abundant species are: mallard, Northern and gadwall, with 3,200, 4,000 and 5,500 individuals, respectively. The most important geese and crane are snow goose, white-fronted goose and Ross' goose, of which 41 ,761 individuals have been recorded, along with 5,000 sandhill cranes. The CHNC also hosts about 2% of the winter population of the long-billed, near Janos. Other important species include the mountain plover, snowy plover, black-necked stilt, and American golden plover.
Project's Goals/Deliverables: The project will: 1) protect 17,290 acres of wintering habitat in Durango and Chihuahua; 2) develop a management and restoration plan for Santiaguillo Lagoon, 59,345 acres; 3) manage, enhance or restore the 2,470 acres protected at the project sites in Durango; 4) restore and enhance 12 acres at the project sites in Chihuahua; and 5) conduct biological monitoring.
Grantee Organization: Pronatura Noreste, A.C., a non-governmental conservation organization.
Source of Funds: NAWCA $266,170 Partners $343,229 Pronatura Noreste, A.C. $ 40,867 CONANP $ 16,000 SRNYMA $160,000 Ejidos $126,362 Total $609,399
Funding History: Pronatura Noreste has received 19 previous NAWCA grants.
Special Considerations: At Santiaguillo Lagoon, this project will use the results of the participatory workshops related to ecological zoning from a NAWCA funded project, to design the management plan for this lagoon in collaboration with CONANP. Pronatura currently leads a group in conservation of Santiaguillo Lagoon that includes government entities, universities, and members of ejidos and Mennonite communities and has also been able to attract the interest of several organizations in the conservation of wetlands within the CHNC. NA WCA has financed three phases of wetland protection and restoration in this region since 2006. In early 2015 Pronatura's efforts led to the designation of CHNC as a Global Important Bird Area used by endangered species including Mountain Plover and Whooping crane. NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL Long-term Protection of the El Arco Wetland as Wintering Habitat for Black Brant
Project Location/Wetland Values: Bahia San Quintin (BSQ) is located on the Pacific coast of northwestern Baja California, about 187 miles south of the Mexico/USA border. BSQ is one of the most important wetlands along the Pacific Flyway and is a Mexican Priority Wetland, a Key Area for Waterfowl, a Key Area for Shorebirds and an Important Site for Waterbirds. In this region, Pacific Brant are of High Non-breeding Importance, and the Highest Non-breeding Need. Vast eel grass beds in the channels of BSQ attract 20-30,000 brant each winter, greater than 30% of the total winter population in Mexico. The avifauna of BSQ also includes imperiled priority shorebird species such as the mountain plover and long-billed curlew. BSQ is the largest "Mediterranean" coastal wetland in Mexico and includes the most pristine major habitat tracts of coastal salt marsh in western North America. 188 bird species have been documented at this site, of which 38 are classified as sensitive species.
Project Goals/Deliverables: The project will: 1) protect through acquisition, 39.86wetland acres and the associated 32.61 upland acres; and 2) manage those acres including the establishment of boundaries and installation of signage.
Grantee Organization: Terra Peninsular, A.C., a non-governmental organization engaged in conservation projects in northwesternMexico.
Source of Funds: NAWCA $ 76,220 Partners $ 79,665 Terra Peninsular $ 1,901 Resources Legacy Fund $77,764 Total $155,885
Funding History: This applicant has received four previous NA WCA grant for similar work.
Special Considerations: The project will be developed in an area that includes agricultural development, mining and oyster farms; as well as high biodiversity, endemism and biological importance. Besides being generally recognized for its favorable conditions for wildlife, San Quintin Bay has areas that have been set aside for conservation purposes by Terra Peninsular. One of these areas is the Natural Reserve of Punta Mazo, a private reserve of 890 hectares certified by CONANP and other areas are in the process of becoming private reserves. In the federal maritime and terrestrial area of the bay there are two areas protected by CONANP, and five concessions to Terra Peninsular that comprise buffer zones for the coastal wetlands, vital for migratory birds and other coastal species. Several nonprofit organizations, including Pro- esteros, The Nature Conservancy and Terra peninsular, have worked or are working in the conservation of this area-the most important wetland in the state. The long term goals of this project are habitat conservation and management and the sustainable use of the natural resources of the region. Planning for the conservation, management and sustainable use of this wetland and its natural resources is at a critical moment. NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL Habitat Management and Monitoring of Shorebirds in Northwest Mexico
Project Location/Wetland Values: This project will take place at 14 priority wetlands for shorebirds in the states of Sonora, Sinaloa, Nayarit, Baja California Sur and Baja California, in northwest Mexico. Northwest Mexico shelters over one million shorebirds from 31 species every winter; 33% of this abundance occurs in wetlands in the Baja California Peninsula and 67% on the Continent along the coasts of Sonora, Sinaloa and Nayarit. Main concentrations are: 55% of total populations of Pacific red knot, 80% of American oystercatcher (H. p frazari), 70% of marbled godwit, 20% of the Western sandpiper and 21 % of the black-bellied plover. Also, 71 % of the total population of black brant, 60% of green-winged teal, 60% of shoveler, 42% of lesser scaup and 3 7% of Northern pintail winter in this region. These species will be indirect! y benefitted by the actions undertaken in this Project.
Project Goals/Deliverables: The project will 1) manage 358,626 acres ofland already protected in the five northwestern states of Mexico; 2) enhance 519 acres; 3) restore 1,284 acres; conduct shorebird monitoring at 14 sites in northwest Mexico; and 4) implement an environmental education program targeting 100 teachers and 2,000 students in the region.
Grantee Organization: Pronatura Noroeste, A.C. , a non-governmental organization engaged in conservation projects in northwesternMexico.
Source of Funds: NAWCA $ 340,237 Partners $ 761,740 Pronatura Noroeste, A.C. $328,272 CONANP $ 75 ,000 Landowners $251,500 ICF $ 66,700 UABC $ 40,268 TOTAL $1,101,977
Funding History: This applicant has received 40 previous NAWCA grant for similar work.
Special Considerations: At San Ignacio Lagoon wetlands, BCS, Pronatura has legally protected, through easements, 138,379 acres of the Ejido Echeverria, and 199,043 acres of federal zone through a conservation agreement granted by the federal government. At Santa Maria Bay (Sinaloa), PNO acquired 3,953 acres and promoted easements for a total of 17,122 acres. Also in Sinaloa, Pronatura established a 6911 acre UMA ("environmental management unit") for the conservation of Ensenada Pabellones. Additionally, during the past two years PNO has conducted the Biological Monitoring Program for shorebirds in 14 priority wetlands of northwest Mexico, using the Pacific Flyway Shorebird Survey protocol. The project is focused on the management of migratory bird habitat, and in the systematic continuation of shorebird monitoring, for the management and environmental evaluation of the wetlands used by those birds, and is part of the Shorebird Action Plan for Northwest Mexico previously ~repared by Pronatura Noroeste with support from the NAWCA. I
NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL Protection and Restoration of Wintering Habitat for the Black Brant
Project Location/Wetland Values: Bahia San Quintin (BSQ) is located on the Pacific coast of Northwestern Baja California, about 187 miles south of the Mexico/USA border. BSQ is one of the most important wetlands along the Pacific Flyway and is a Mexican Priority Wetland, a Key Area for Waterfowl, a Key Area for Shorebirds and an Important Site for Waterbirds. In this region, Pacific brant are of High Non-breeding Importance and the Highest Non-breeding Need. Vast eel grass beds in the channels of BSQ attract 20-30,000 brant each winter, greater than 30% of the total winter population in Mexico. The avifauna of BSQ also includes imperiled priority shorebird species such as the mountain plover and long-billed curlew. BSQ is the largest "Mediterranean" coastal wetland in Mexico and includes the most pristine major habitat tracts of coastal salt marsh in western North America. 188 bird species have been documented at this site, of which 38 are classified as sensitive species.
Project Goals/Deliverables: The project will: 1) manage removal of invasive species in a protected area, 291 acres; and 2) restore coastal dunes in areas affected by wind erosion 73 acres.
Grantee Organization: Terra Peninsular, A.C., a non-governmental organization engaged in conservation projects in NorthwesternMexico.
Source of Funds: NAWCA $ 63,000 Partners $ 86,646 Terra Peninsular $13,534 Marisla $59,041 Others $14,071 Total $149,646
Funding History: This applicant has received four previous NA WCA grant for similar work.
Special Considerations: The project will be developed in a portion of San Quintin bay that is part of a coastal barrier that provides protection against wind and wave effects. These natural elements could bring devastating energy that could result in unstable conditions within the lagoon complex. San Quintin Bay's structure and functionality partially depend on this sand bar known as Punta Mazo. However Punta Mazo is becoming more vulnerable due to erosion and siltation. Punta Mazo sand bar and Block 45 are very dynamic and have narrow areas that allow sediments to move from the ocean into the lagoon, reducing the depth of the bay and the size of the wetlands. Events associated with climate change such as an increase in sea level, an increase in water temperature and an increase in meteorological phenomena, which are increasingly deviating from the natural regular cycles, increase the coastal vulnerability. It is predicted that sites like San Quintin Bay will lose coastal areas given the sea level rise, affecting shorebird populations of species like marbled godwit and others, including species of Charadrius and Numenius, that can also be found in the bay. I DRAFT
DECISION MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY
To: Secretary
Through: Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks
From: Director
Subject: Real Property Interests That Should Not Be Included in the National Wildlife Refuge System per North American Wetlands Conservation Act
I. INTRODUCTION The Migratory Bird Conservation Commission (Commission) is tentatively scheduled to meet on April 20, 2016, at which time the North American Wetlands Conservation Council (Council) will recommend 25 proposals for funding under the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (Act).
The Commission has the authority to approve project funding under the Act.
II. BACKGROUND Section 6(a) (2) of the Act states that property interests acquired in the United States using Act funds shall be included in the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS). However, at her discretion, the Secretary of the Interior (or delegated authority) may determine that Act funds can be used to acquire property interests that are excluded, either partially or in full, from the NWRS. The property interests proposed for exclusion in these proposals will be managed in accordance with the conservation objectives of the Act.
III. POSITION OF INTERESTED PARTIES The Council met December 2, 2015, and again on February 24, 2016, and agreed to recommend 25 U.S. Standard Grant proposals for funding under the Act in the second funding cycle in Fiscal Year 2016. Of the 25 proposals, 18 proposals listed below would use Act funds to acquire property partially or completely outside the NWRS. Two of the remaining seven proposals involve properties that will be acquired for the NWRS. One proposal will not use Act funds for proposed acquisitions. Four proposals do not involve acquisition.
IV. DECISION OPTIONS We have determined that the 18 proposals with property acquisitions outside the NWRS will be managed in accordance with the conservation objectives of the Act. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has cooperative working relationships with the partners in these proposals and we share similar conservation goals. The Service can take action if a grantee fails to manage property acquired with Act funds in accordance with the grant agreement. Actions that may be taken include but are not limited to: (a) repaying the Service in cash for that percentage of the fair-market value attributable to Federal participation in the project; (b) transferring the title to the interest in real property to the Federal Government or an eligible third party; or (c) providing the Service with an interest in real property that is of equal financial and/or habitat value. The Service may select one or more of these actions.
V. RECOMMENDATION We recommend that all acquired property interests be excluded from the NWRS for the following proposals:
Border Prairie Wetlands IV, MN Carolina Wetlands Initiative II, NC/SC Eastern Nebraska Wetlands, NE Kansas Prairie Wetlands II, NE Lower Mississippi Delta Wetlands, MS MAV Wetlands Conservation I, MS Mid-Barataria Wetlands I, LA Mukwonago Fox River II, WI North Dakota Drift Prairie Project V, ND Platte River Wetlands Partnership IV, CO Rappahannock River I, VA Sansavilla I, GA Santee Delta Winyah Bay Wetlands III, SC Schoodic Mountain to Peninsula Coastal Maine Partnership, ME South Carolina Coastal Rivers Conservation Partnership, SC South Carolina Lowcountry Wetlands VII, SC Upper Iowa Prairie Pothole IV, IA Virginia Tidal Rivers & Bays I, VA
VI. SECRETARY'S DECISION
---APPROVE
DISAPPROVE
- --COMMENTS
A copy of this memorandum will be provided to the Secretary of the Commission, A. Eric Alvarez, so that he may enter this document into the records of the Commission. Please contact Jerome Ford, Assistant Director for Migratory Birds, at (202) 208-1058 if you have any questions. NORTHAMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT SUMMARY
Cycle 2016-2
U.S. Standard Grant Proposals
*Rank & Map NAWCA Partner Acres NAWCA Funds Coastal Title State Number Request Match Affected for FWS Project
1 South Carolina Coastal Rivers Conservation Partnership SC $1,000,000 $5,878,500 10,995.0 Yes 2 Chase Lake Area Wetland Project XII ND $2,000,000 $2,001,216 33,039.5 $2,000,000 No 3 South Carolina Lowcountry Wetlands VII SC $1,000,000 $2,000,000 3,421.0 Yes 4 Kansas Prairie Wetlands II KS $1,000,000 $2,011,117 5,091.0 No 5 Mid-Barataria Wetlands I LA $1,000,000 $2,020,750 2,047.0 Yes 6 Santee Delta-Winyah Bay Wetlands Ill SC $1,000,000 $2,024,000 3,559.0 Yes 7 Schoodic Mtn to Peninsula Coastal Maine Partnership ME $959,900 $2,098,500 2,196.0 Yes 8 North Dakota Drift Prairie Project V ND $1,300,000 $1,373,115 20,886.0 $1,300,000 No 9 James River Lowlands/ Missouri Coteau Project VIII SD $1,000,000 $1,010,781 2,152.0 No 10 Lower Mississippi Delta Wetlands MS $999,481 $2,003,924 3,092.0 No 11 Eastern Nebraska Wetlands NE $932,706 $1,886,545 2,492.0 No 12 MAV Wetlands Conservation I MS $999,623 $2,115,250 4,147.0 No 13 Virginia Tidal Rivers & Bays I VA $1,000,000 $2,000,000 2,587.0 Yes 14 Carolina Wetlands Initiative II NC,SC $1,000,000 $2,010,000 1,215.0 Yes 15 Creole Marsh LA $1,000,000 $2,200,000 11,308.0 Yes 16 Suisun Wetlands Conservation II CA $1,000,000 $1,827,975 5,172.0 Yes 17 Texas Gulf Coast XIII TX $999,846 $2,000,000 2,519.0 Yes 18 White & Cache Rivers Wetlands II AR $1,000,000 $2,031,475 2,177.0 $1,000,000 No 19 Upper Iowa Prairie Pothole IV IA $1,000,000 $2,459,170 1,400.1 No 20 Border Prairie Wetlands IV MN $1,000,000 $3,664,903 1,618.0 No 21 Platte River Wetlands Partnership IV co $1,000,000 $3,797,749 3,303.7 $50,000 No 22 Sansavilla Phase I GA $1,000,000 $4,022,175 3,319.0 Yes 23 Mukwonago - Fox River Focus Area II WI $1,000,000 $2,686,722 4,787.0 $50,000 No 24 Rappahannock River Conservation Partnership Phase I VA $750,000 $3,813,500 3,888.0 Yes 25 South Carolina Wetlands Landscape IV SC $1,000,000 $2,018,985 1,458.0 Yes Totals: $25,941,556 $60,956,352 137,869.3 $4,400,000
*Projects are in rank order instead of alphabetical order I North American Wetlands Conservation Act U.S. Proposals April 20, 2016 (Numbers correspond to proposal rank order)
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NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL South Carolina Coastal Rivers Conservation Partnership
COUNTIES, STATES, CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS: Charleston, Colleton, Berkeley, Dorchester, Clarendon, South Carolina, Congressional District 1 & 6
GRANT AMOUNT $1,000,000 Allocation: New Lavington LLC $ 970,000 Lowcountry Open Land Trust $ 20,000 Lumber Land and Timber, LLC $ 10,000
MATCHING PARTNERS $5,878,500 Grantee: Lowcountry Open Land Trust $1,469,750 New Lavington LLC $2,039,500 Charleston County Greenbelt Program $ 323,250 FBSC,LLC $ 840,000 SC Conservation Bank $1,001,575 Dorchester County $ 12,450 Lumber Land & Timber, LLC $ 191 ,975
GRANT AND MATCH - ACTIVITIES, COSTS, AND ACRES $6,878,500/10,995 acres Easements Acquired $6,378,500/6,995 acres Easements Donated $ 500,000/4,000 acres
PROPOSAL PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION: The South Carolina Coastal Plain is blessed with an abundance of highly productive and valuable natural wetland resources that are integral to the natural, social and historic fabric of the state and of national significance. Conservation partners in South Carolina (SC) have a rich history of demonstrating that a diverse set of agencies and non profit organizations can establish a mutual set of priorities for habitat protection. Through the ACE Basin and the Santee River Task Force, Lowcountry Open Land Trust (LOLT) in partnership with SC Dept. of Natural Resources, SC Conservation Bank, The Nature Conservancy, Ducks Unlimited, Audubon South Carolina, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service engaged many partners to protect the most critically-important components of the landscape for birds and other wildlife. LOL Tis using its long history of collaboration with private landowners and partners in the SC Coastal Rivers Conservation Partnership to expand wildlife corridors and provide parcel connectivity between protected areas in two Priority Focus Areas: ACE Basin and Santee River. Project Tracts provide an extensive network of wildlife corridors, and enhance water quality across a network of over 45 miles ofrivers and streams. The Project Tracts increase protection of critically important and productive fisheries, as well as the scenic, natural and rural character of the area.
HABITAT TYPES AND WILDLIFE BENEFITTING: Within the southeast, large bottomland-hardwood forest blocks associated with extensive river systems are the highest priority, as the most imperiled birds in the South Atlantic Coastal Plain. Bottomland hardwood forests have suffered tremendous losses in the United States, with as much as an 80% reduction in area, and 70% of the remaining forest has been cutover at least once and frequently fragmented in the process, making them one of the most endangered ecosystems in the United States. These wetlands are a high conservation priority for American black duck, mallard, wood duck, swallow-tailed kite, Swainson's warbler, prothonotary warbler, wood stork, and other wading bird species and a suite of 40 migratory neotropical species. The Coastal Partnership Project Tracts collectively protect stopover habitat for migrating waterfowl and other wetland- associated bird species, wintering habitat for priority waterfowl (lesser scaup, wood duck, bufflehead, hooded merganser, and American black duck), wintering habitat for high priority wetland associated species (rusty blackbird), and breeding habitat for high priority species (such as little blue heron, swallow-tailed kite, prairie warbler, prothonotary warbler, Swainson' s warbler, painted bunting, and wood duck). Project Tracts supports habitat for at least 14 Federally endangered, threatened or proposed species of concern; 27 state listed or special concern species and a minimum of 40 other wetland dependent fish and wildlife species.
PUBLIC BENEFITS/PUBLIC ACCESS: Project Tracts will stay in private ownership, yet may have limited public access associated with LOLT sponsored activities including educational and landowner workshops, membership picnics and outings and/or other activities that encourage additional landowners to permanently protect their lands. Public benefits are associated with the protection ofriparian habitat along 45 miles of stream and river corridors contributing to the maintenance of wetland functions and values including: providing essential nursery habitat for marine, estuarine and freshwater finfish and shellfish; habitat for waterfowl, wading birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals; filtering upland runoff and pollutants and providing recreational, educational and aesthetic opportunities and benefits.
NEW PARTNERS: New Lavington, LLC, FBSC, LLC and Lumber Land & Timber, LLC are 3 important new partners to NA WCA as private landowners leveraging private funds with federal, county and state funding.
RELATIONSHIP TO PREVIOUSLY FUNDED NAWCA PROPOSALS: The Coastal Partnership project will complement a growing protected landscape where substantial federal investments have created and expanded public ownership, as well as the protection, enhancement, restoration and habitat management of private properties throughout coastal South Carolina. The current proposal utilizes the aforementioned partnerships to conserve critical wetland habitats on grant and match tracts and build off of the successes of 23 prior NAWCA standard grants that have protected, restored and enhanced critically important habitat across the Lowcountry in which included over 23 tracts in the ACE Basin Focus Area, four tracts in the South Lowcountry Focus Area, eight tracts in the CAWS Basin Focus Area, two tracts in the Santee Cooper Lakes Focus Area, seven tracts in the Santee River Focus area, and nine tracts in the Winyah Bay Focus Area, thus aiding in meeting South Carolina conservation goals.
THREATS AND SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: With the Lowcountry expected to grow by more than one million residents in the next decade, the coastal region will be faced with significant conservation challenges. This growth is attributed to the unique and delicate quality of life that benefits the public good, making it imperative that LOL T take an active role in educating the landowner community and the next generation about the importance of conservation in protecting both the quality of life and the cultural landscapes of the Lowcountry. Often, landowner relationships take many years of cultivation and development before maturing into an easement opportunity. Given the conservation urgency facing the Lowcountry, the LOTL foresees the next 3-5 years as a critical and transformational time for this region. According to recent national studies, South Carolina was ranked as the #2 moving destination with a 61 % inbound rate. The ability to leverage federal funds with private donations is critical for continued conservation success in the Lowcountry. The Coastal Partnership demonstrates the commitment of private landowners to protect nearly 11,000 acres including over 44 miles of riparian and coastal habitat. NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL SUMMARY Chase Lake Area Wetland Project XII
COUNTIES, STATES, CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS: Burleigh, Dickey, Foster, Kidder, LaMoure, Logan, McIntosh, McLean, Sheridan, Stutsman and Wells Counties, North Dakota, Congressional District I.
GRANT AMOUNT $2,000,000
Allocation: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service $2,000,000
MATCHING PARTNERS $2,001,216 Grantee: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service $ 0 American Foundation for Wildlife $ 481 ,500 North Dakota Game and Fish Dept. $ 818,544 North Dakota Natural Resources Trust $ 207,052 Ducks Unlimited $ 172,406 Private Landowners $ 319,714 Carol Aron $ 2,000
GRANT AND MATCH -ACTIVITIES, COSTS, AND ACRES $4,001 ,216/33 ,039.5 acres Fee Acquired $1 ,219,052/410 acres Easements Acquired $1,107,906/ 1,442.5 acres Leases Acquired $661 ,044/20,144 acres Restored $33,650/26 acres Enhanced $813,500/10,995 acres Wetlands Established $143,564/22 acres Indirect Costs $22,500
PROPOSAL PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION: The Chase Lake Area Wetland Project (CLP) area encompasses more than 6.5 million acres in the Missouri Coteau physiographic sub-region in central North Dakota. It also lies in the heart of the Prairie Pothole Region and Prairie Pothole Joint Venture area. This landscape contains some of the most numerous, productive and diverse wetland communities in the world with wetland densities often exceeding 100 basins per square mile. These diverse and complex wetland habitats are linked together and provide nesting, brood rearing, loafing and foraging habitats for wetland dependent waterfowl, shorebirds, water birds, and passerines, as well as many mammals, amphibians and aquatic insects. The surrounding uplands contain some of the highest quality remaining grasslands in the Prairie Pothole Region which provide important nesting, brood-rearing and foraging habitats for a wide array of waterfowl, shorebirds, rap tors and grassland associated passerines The Prairie Pothole Region annually produces 60-70% of the continent's grassland nesting (mallard, northern pintail, gadwall, blue-winged teal, northern shoveler, American wigeon, green-winged teal) and over-water nesting (redhead, canvasback, ruddy duck) species of waterfowl. The activities in this proposal, combined with the accomplishments of the previous eleven phases of this large, landscape level project, will contribute significantly toward meeting these habitat and population goals. This proposal is phase 12 of an ongoing project designed to protect, restore, and enhance wetland/grassland communities and uses a landscape level planning approach to meet PPJV and NAWMP goals and objectives. The value of perpetually protecting threatened wetlands has long been recognized. The FWS has protected many of these wetland complexes by purchasing perpetual wetland easements. Although many of these wetlands have been protected, much of the surrounding prairie uplands have been converted to agricultural use. HABITAT TYPES AND WILDLIFE BENEFITTING: Wetland habitats in the CLP area are diverse and primarily classified as palustrine emergent wetlands exhibiting temporary, seasonal, semi-permanent and permanent water regimes. This proposal will exclusively target palustrine emergent wetlands and the adjacent native-grassland uplands which are critically important migration, breeding and nesting habitat for many waterfowl and many other species of birds and other wildlife.
PUBLIC BENEFITS/PUBLIC ACCESS: The wetlands and associated uplands on the fee-title acquisitions in this proposal will be open to public activities such as hunting, trapping, bird watching, photography, outdoor education and hiking. In addition, the wetlands and associated upland habitats on the leased habitat in this proposal will also be open to public activities such as hunting, trapping, bird watching, photography, outdoor education and hiking. Private land projects will be open to the public at the discretion of each individual landowner. Ancillary benefits include flood control, water quality maintenance, erosion control, tourism, economic diversity and infrastructure protection.
NEW PARTNERS: The American Foundation for Wildlife joins the Chase Lake Area Wetland Project for the first time. This organization brings $481 ,500 of non-federal match to this project. Phase XII of the CLP builds upon the successes of the past 11 grants in this project area, therefore, most agency and organization partnerships have been formed in past proposals. However, during the grant period, the activities associated with this proposal will identify and partner with many private landowners that will be new to this collaborative project.
RELATIONSHIP TO PREVIOUSLY FUNDED NAWCA PROPOSALS: The Chase Lake Area Wetland Project-XII proposes to continue conserving, restoring and enhancing valuable migratory bird habitat within this project area in the same manner as the previous 11 grants.
THREATS AND SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: Wetland and native grassland habitats in the CLP area continue to be at risk of being drained or converted for production agriculture. Fee title acquisition and the purchase of conservation easements will perpetually protect this valuable grassland and wetland habitat. These conservation easements will be secured and enforced by the USFWS. Once secured, these vital habitats will always be available to wetland-dependent wildlife and grassland nesting waterfowl, shorebirds and passerines. It is much cheaper to protect this ecosystem while it is still intact than it is to try and restore it once it has been destroyed. Perpetual and short-term protection of the grassland habitat that surrounds prairie wetlands is vitally important to maintaining the function and value of these wetland ecosystems. Grassland habitats slow water movement across the landscape and filter out excessive sediment, nutrients, herbicides and pesticides, which may be harmful to wetland biota and degrade water quality. NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL South Carolina Lowcountry Wetlands VII
COUNTIES, STATES, CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS: Beaufort and Colleton, South Carolina, Congressional Districts I & 6.
GRANT AMOUNT: $1,000,000
Allocation: Ducks Unlimited $1,000,000
MATCHING PARTNERS: $2,000,000 Grantee: DU $ 5,000 Private $ 526,226 South Carolina Conservation Bank $ 643,267 Wetlands America Trust $ 825,507
GRANT AND MATCH - ACTIVITIES, COSTS AND ACRES $3,000,000/3,421 acres Easements Acquired $1,476,574/ l ,697 acres Enhanced $1,474,322/ I,724 acres Indirect Costs $49,104
PROPOSAL PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION: This proposal seeks to enhance important wetlands and uplands located in one of six identified Focus Areas defined by the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture (ACJV) and all four major bird group focus areas in South Atlantic Migratory Bird Initiative (SAMBI). Through SCLCP, many partners have worked to protect in excess of 500,000 acres of wetland and upland habitats using conservation easements and acquisitions on private lands. The perpetual protection of large, undeveloped, privately owned upland and wetland ecosystems benefits waterfowl, wading birds, shorebirds, songbirds and other native species and also preserves the natural landscapes and the outdoor heritage that is part of the Lowcountry way of life. In recent years, DU and partners have added acquiring, restoring and enhancing wetlands on public lands to its private lands emphasis. Though the SCLCP Area is considered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to have international ecological significance, intense pressures from residential and commercial development continue to threaten fragile coastal habitat. Due to these threats wetlands loss, degradation and fragmentation increase each year in the region. This proposal builds on the successes of six previous NAWCA projects granted to DU by continuing to leverage the financial contributions, expertise and management skills of six partners including state and federal government agencies. This proposal will enhance strategic tracts consisting of palustrine emergent and forested wetlands, tidal freshwater and saltwater marsh and associated uplands in the Lowcountry of South Carolina (SC). Specifically, this proposal seeks to leverage partnerships with state, federal, non-government and private entities to enhance strategic habitats in the Lowcountry of SC. The projects are located in the ACJV's ACE Basin Waterfowl Focus Areas and significantly contribute to the goals of national and regional bird conservation plans.
HABITAT TYPES AND WILDLIFE BENEFITTING: This project will protect and enhance a diverse wildlife habitat in the Southeastern Coastal Plain that includes wetlands and associated uplands on three tracts. The completed project will provide increased foraging capacity and important habitat for pair isolation, thermal refuge and roosting for six NAWCA High Priority waterfowl species, five NAWCA Other Priority waterfowl species and seven other species of waterfowl. Additionally, 20 NAWCA Priority Species of wetland-dependent migratory birds will benefit from increased foraging, nesting or roosting habitat. Several other wetland-dependent or wetland associated species will also benefit directly, including fourteen federally listed, threatened or candidate species and five state-listed endangered or species of concern. PUBLIC BENEFITS/PUBLIC ACCESS: Of the three tracts, one will allow public access. The other two tracts will be managed for migratory birds, threatened and endangered species habitat and for wildlife oriented recreation and education consistent with habitat conservation efforts. Both of these privately held tracts are adjacent to State WMAs or USFWS National Wildlife Refuges. Additional public benefits are related to ecological goods and services provided via enhanced wetland functions and values that contribute toward a sustainable ecosystem.
NEW PARTNERS: This proposal includes no new partners.
RELATIONSHIP TO PREVIOUSLY FUNDED NAWCA PROPOSALS: This project will complement a growing protected landscape where substantial federal investments have created and expanded public ownership, private protection, enhancement, restoration and habitat management throughout the SC Lowcountry. For the past decade, a unique partnership of state, federal, non-profit and private partners have combined private and public funds under the recommendations of the ACJV's SAMBI to implement a series of wetlands protection, restoration and enhancement projects across 6 focus areas in SC. This partnership, recognized by SAMBI as the SC Working Group, was recently awarded the North American Migratory Bird Joint Venture Conservation Champion Award for Regional partnership to honor its dedication to the conservation of birds and critically important bird habitats. The SC Working Group has been successful in conserving over 407,000 acres of critical habitat contributing to the goals of the ACJV and SAMBI in SC through proposals that DU and partners achieved through NAWCA. The current proposal utilizes the aforementioned partnerships to conserve critical wetland habitats on grant and match tracts in order to build off of the successes of 25 prior NAWCA standard grants that have protected, restored and enhanced critically important habitat across the SC Lowcountry to further landscape scale conservation efforts.
THREATS AND SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: Census data reported that nearly 63 % of SC's total population lives in the Coastal Plain, with the coastal population projected to rise by 13.2% by 2020. Despite the growing population and increasing pressure on natural resources, a unique group of conservation partners spanning several decades have protected approximately 0.5 million acres of coastal habitats within the project area. The grant and match tracts are located in this threatened landscape. NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL Kansas Prairie Wetlands
COUNTIES, ST ATES, CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS: Barton, Cherokee, Ellsworth, Greeley, Harvey, Jefferson, Kingman, Lincoln, McPherson, Reno, and Stafford, Kansas, Congressional Districts 1, 2, 3, and 4.
GRANT AMOUNT $1,000,000
Allocation: Ducks Unlimited, Inc. $1 ,000,000
MATCHING PARTNERS $2,011 ,117 Grantee: Ducks Unlimited, Inc. $ 225,420 Kansas Wildscape Foundation $ 842,000 Natural Resource Damage Assessment Board $ 433,500 Kansas Department of Transportation $ 186,930 Scott Jahnke $ 100,000 Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism $ 79,775 George Stumps Trust $ 50,000 Playa Lakes Joint Venture $ 44,992 The Nature Conservancy $ 25 ,500 Pheasants Forever $ 20,000 Kanza Bank $ 1,000 Mark Schlegel $ 1,000 Kansas Wildlife Federation $ 500 Kingman Lumber $ 250 Arensdorf Construction $ 250
GRANT AND MATCH - ACTIVITIES, COSTS, AND ACRES $3 ,01 l ,117/5,091acres Fee Acquired $1 ,905,331/l,417 acres Easements Acquired $120,385/47 acres Restored $636,903/3,287 acres Enhanced $261 , 138/340 acres Grant Administration $5 ,000 Indirect Costs $82,360
PROPOSAL PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION: This proposal includes a number of important wetland complexes in Kansas that have been identified as areas of significance to North American waterfowl and other wetland birds. Located at approximately the same latitude in the Central Flyway, the wetlands in this proposal provide critical migration stopover habitat for waterfowl, shorebirds, wading birds and other migratory birds. The projects include the acquisition, restoration, enhancement, and protection of several wetlands and grasslands. This is a high priority area for TNC, DU, and our partners for its importance to several priority migratory species including being utilized by an estimated 45 % of the shorebirds in the Western Hemisphere during spring migration. This includes 90% of the white-rumped, Baird's, and stilt sandpipers; long-billed dowitchers and Wilson's phalaropes. A large wetland restoration project will be completed on the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge. The project is located in Stafford County at Quivira's historic Big Salt Marsh. It is a marsh that provides important habitat to migratory birds and is also a large portion of the larger Quivira wetland complex. The project is necessary because an old road constructed by the oil industry prior to the Service's ownership is cutting off natural sheet flow and spring fed water coming from the northwest. This area blocks the water and the borrow areas from the road acts as a large barrier to natural hydrology. Grant and partner funds will be used to remove this material, restoring 2,000 acres of shallow water marsh, including one of the most important whooping crane migration stopover habitats in the world. The purpose of this proposal is to restore additional wetland habitat on Byron Walker WA and to provide KDWPT with the ability to better utilize their water resources to strategically flood acres of wetlands through the use of new and improved water control structures and new levees. These projects will both restore wetlands and provide a unique opportunity to convert poor quality cropland into wetland and upland habitat that can be enjoyed by the public
HABITAT TYPES AND WILDLIFE BENEFITTING: The proposed projects will enhance and protect a diversity of habitats consisting of mostly palustrine emergent marsh, riparian areas, and native tallgrass prairie. The complexes of various habitats will provide benefits to a variety of wildlife including a diverse assemblage of migratory birds. It also benefits several threatened, endangered, and "in need of conservation" species including whooping cranes, least terns, piping plovers, several mussels, and other invertebrates, birds, mammals, and amphibians. The extensive conservation work proposed will also benefit a wide variety of other fish and wildlife species. Some examples include mallards, northern pintails, wood ducks, king rails, American bitterns, Hudsonian godwits, and common terns. More specific species information is provided later in the proposal.
PUBLIC BENEFITS/PUBLIC ACCESS: The proposed activities on will provide direct benefits through improved wildlife habitat and increased acres and areas of public access by improving 4,984 acres of land that is open to public uses, including hunting, fishing, bird watching, boating, hiking, outdoor education, and other activities. The proposed projects will also provide other environmental benefits to the public, including water quality, air quality, flood abatement, wildlife habitat, aesthetic beauty, and many other benefits.
NEW PARTNERS: The Kansas Wildscape Foundation, Kansas Department of Transportation, Scott Jahnke, Mark Schlegel, Kanza Bank, Arensdorf Construction, and Kingman Lumber are all new partners to the NAWCA grant program in Kansas.
RELATIONSHIP TO PREVIOUSLY FUNDED NAWCA PROPOSALS: Ducks Unlimited was the grantee for a NAWCA Small Grant at Quivira NWR, a Small Grant at Perry Wildlife Area, and this is a continuation of the Standard Grant named "Kansas Prairie Wetlands I".
THREATS AND SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: The proposed project on the Byron Walker WA has been proposed for a number of years. It is a very high priority for the KDWPT to complete the long awaited project here. Local support for the project is particularly high. It is imperative that the proposal be funded to meet the goals and objectives of KDWPT and local supporters. Also, the vast amount of water that drains out of the marsh at Cheyenne Bottoms after every runoff event that would otherwise fill the wetland is both draining this marsh and providing accelerated sedimentation into the downstream portions of the Bottoms. Finally, this is the first strides DU is making to initiate a robust private lands program in Kansas that includes projects at the Jahnke CE, the West project, and the Himmelwright playa, so funding is critical to begin to building this long awaited and needed program. NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL Mid Barataria Wetlands I
COUNTIES, STATE, CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, District 1
GRANT AMOUNT $1,000,000
Allocation: The Trust for Public Land $1,000,000
MATCHING PARTNERS $2,020,750 Grantee: The Trust for Public Land $ 10,000 Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana $2,000,000 Green Coast Enterprises $ 250 John Fleming $ 500 Partnership for Gulf Coast Land Conservation $ 10,,000
GRANT AND MATCH-ACTIVITIES, COSTS, AND ACRES $3,020,750/2,047 acres Fee Acquired $1,020,750/ 1,997acres Restored $2,000,000/50 acres
PROPOSAL PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION: The focus area for this proposal is the Mid-Barataria Basin in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. The Trust for Public Land's (TPL) goal is to protect in perpetuity through fee acquisition 1,997 acres of coastal wetlands for inclusion into the Barataria Preserve unit of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve using grant and match funds . This acquisition from a willing seller will serve as the first of multiple phases of planned acquisitions and enhancements that will add a total of 3,476 acres to the 23,000 acre Preserve in the heart of the Barataria Basin and the Barataria Terrebone National Estuary. Protection and restoration of 2,047 wetland acres within the Mid-Barataria Basin will improve the coastal wetland habitat available within a broader network of managed wetlands and natural wetlands in both public and private ownership all managed for wildlife and wetlands conservation in southeast Louisiana. Strategic protection and restoration of coastal wetlands will also contribute to Gulf-wide efforts to manage and mitigate for losses from increasing sea level rise. Six partners representing state and federal agencies, non-profits, for profit corporations and one private landowner are joining efforts under this proposal to accomplish the goal of protecting 1997 acres and restoring 50 acres of wetlands in Mississippi River Coastal Wetlands Initiative Area of the Gulf Coast Joint Venture. While the current proposal and subsequent phases are focused on opportunities within the Mid-Barataria Basin, TPL also prioritizes coastal wetland conservation in southeast Louisiana in nearby basins including Lower Ponchartrain, Breton, and Terrebone and will include those areas in future proposals in collaboration with partners.
HABITAT TYPES AND WILDLIFE BENEFITTING: Conservation actions in this NAWCA application will protect 1,997 acres of wetlands and restore 50 acres of wetlands within the Mississippi River Coastal Wetlands Initiative Area of the Gulf Coast Joint Venture. Habitats to be protected through fee acquisition include: 606 acres of palustrine emergent marsh, 152 acres of palustrine forested wetlands and 1,035 acres of estuarine intertidal vegetated marsh all classified as decreasing, and 204 acres of palustrine open water. Proposal activities will restore 50 acres of estuarine intertidal emergent marsh. Proposal activities will provide increased foraging capacity and important habitat for pair isolation, thermal refuge and roosting for five NAWCA High Priority waterfowl species, five NAWCA Other Priority waterfowl species and seven other species of waterfowl. At least 10 NAWCA Priority Species of wetland-dependent migratory birds from BCR 37 will benefit from increased foraging, nesting or roosting habitat. Habitat for several other wetland-dependent or wetland associated species will also benefit directly or indirectly, including 2 federally listed, threatened or candidate species, 2 state-listed endangered and several Louisiana species of conservation concern.
PUBLIC BENEFITS/PUBLIC ACCESS: This proposal area offers many recreational and nature-based tourism opportunities including hunting, fishing, trapping, paddling, wildlife watching and educational tours. Baldcypress swamps and bottomland hardwoods, fresh, intermediate and brackish and open water provide habitat for numerous species of resident and migratory birds, other wetland dependent species. Protection will ensure it continues to function as a natural vegetated buffer against stonn surges and complements the large-scale marsh building and coastal restoration work underway by CPRA and others in southeast Louisiana. Ownership by the NPS will provide public benefits by eliminating the threat of future fragmentation by subdivision that would make management, invasive species control, and hydrologic enhancements difficult to implement without a management agency committed to ensuring quality management of this new natural area.
NEW PARTNERS: This proposal includes two partners new to NAWCA (John Fleming of Fleming Plantation and Green Coast Enterprises) who are donating match toward the acquisition. Also, this proposal marks the first time TPL and the National Park Service are participating in a NAWCA initiative in the State of Louisiana.
RELATIONSHIP TO PREVIOUSLY FUNDED NAWCA PROPOSALS: This is the first in a new series of NAWCA proposals planned by TPL and partners for southeast Louisiana. However, it does complement and build on the successful investments of NAWCA in other projects accomplished by state and federal agencies and non-government organizations in southeast Louisiana.
THREATS AND SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: The disappearance of wetlands and the wildlife and fishery resources dependent on them is affecting the economic structure of numerous communities in the lower and middle Barataria basin areas as supporting businesses (marinas, boat manufacturers, seafood processors, retailers, etc.) decline. The storm buffering benefits the barrier islands and lower basin wetlands provide these communities will be reduced as wetland loss continues. This loss would force relocations or require the expansion of flood protection and drainage facilities for many basin communities, and maintenance costs would increase for existing facilities. In order to sustain or increase Louisiana coastal wetlands at a scale meaningful to communities, wildlife and fisheries populations and businesses, protection of intact wetlands and restoration of natural hydrologic processes. NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL Santee Delta -Winyah Bay Wetlands III
COUNTIES, STATES, CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS: Berkeley, Charleston, Chesterfield, Clarendon, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Georgetown, Horry, Lee, Marion, Marlboro, Sumter, Williamsburg, South Carolina, Congressional Districts 1 & 6
GRANT AMOUNT $1,000,000 Allocation: The Nature Conservancy $619,250 SC Department of Natural Resources $196,750 Lord Berkeley Conservation Trust $184,000
MATCHING PARTNERS $2,024,000 Grantee: The Nature Conservancy $1,760,600 Private Landowner $ 120,000 Butler Conservation Fund $ 140,000 Lord Berkeley Conservation Trust $ 900 Duke Energy $ 2,500
GRANT AND MATCH - ACTIVITIES, COSTS, AND ACRES $3,024,000/ 2778 acres Fee Acquired $196,750 / 727 acres Easement Purchased $2,817,830 / 2051 acres Other $9,420
PROPOSAL PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION: The projects described in this proposal will permanently protect strategic tracts, consisting of forested wetlands, tidal freshwater marsh, salt marsh and associated uplands, mixed pine hardwood forest, managed pine, and early successional habitat, in a priority conservation landscape, Santee Delta and Winyah Bay, on the northern coast of South Carolina (SC). The project area for Santee Delta-Winyah Bay Wetlands III encompasses fourteen coastal counties and five Atlantic Coast Joint Venture (ACJV) Waterfowl Focus Areas: Santee, Lynches and Upper Pee Dee, Upper Waccamaw, Winyah Bay and Little Pee Dee-Lumber River. Phase III complements the objectives of Phases I and II and will protect four tracts, totaling 2778 acres, including 1727 wetland acres and 1051 acres of associated uplands to benefit breeding, migrating, and wintering birds in accordance with the recommendations of South Atlantic Migratory Bird Initiative (SAMBI). This proposal seeks to permanently protect three strategic project tracts: (1) to protect and place in public management a significant waterfowl conservation property, Wedge Plantation Ricefields, to be incorporated into SCDNR's Santee Delta WMA for waterfowl and habitat conservation, and public use and recreation, (2) to place a permanent conservation easement on a forested wetland tract within the Santee River Basin, and (3) to place a permanent conservation easement on a key forested wetland tract along the Black River and Mingo Creek to conserve a known nesting site for Swallow-tailed Kites and augment a growing network of conservation lands near The Nature Conservancy's (TNC) Black River Preserve in the Winyah Bay Focus Area.
HABITAT TYPES AND WILDLIFE BENEFITTING: Supporting some of the most extensive, intact wetlands in the southeastern United States, the Santee Delta and Winyah Bay wetland complex play an important role for many species of migrating birds including waterfowl, waterbirds, shorebirds, wading birds, and landbirds. The project area supports unique upland and wetland habitats including longleaf pine forest, eastern maritime forest, estuarine wetlands, tidal emergent freshwater wetlands, tidal forested freshwater wetlands, and Carolina bays. These project tracts also protect 1051 acres of upland habitats including, 153 acres of mixed pine hardwood forests, 815 acres of managed pine ideal for restoration to longleaf pine forest, and 83 acres of open habitats. The project protects and places in public management a key tract for waterfowl benefiting eleven priority species including: American black duck, mottled duck, mallard, American wigeon, northern pintail, lesser scaup, greater scaup, ring-necked duck, canvasback, redhead, and wood duck. The project will also support neotropical migratory birds associated with mature forested wetlands during the breeding and migration seasons, such as prothonotary warbler, black throated green warbler, Swainson's warbler, and wood thrush and specifically, will protect a key property and confirmed nesting area for swallow-tailed kites along Mingo Creek. Of 39 species of shorebirds present in the Atlantic Region of North America, 29 of these occur in the project area and depend upon tidal wetlands and tidal flats such as those to be protected on the Wedge Plantation tract just north of Cape Romain NRW, a shorebird refuge of hemispheric importance. Additionally, ten federally and state listed species would benefit directly from the habitats being protected by this project.
PUBLIC BENEFITS/PUBLIC ACCESS: Funds acquired through this grant will allow SCDNR to purchase the tidal wetlands of Wedge Plantation, to be incorporated into the ownership and management of a significant public-use waterfowl management area, DNR's Santee Delta WMA. The property will offer a public-draw for waterfowl hunting as well as fishing, bird watching, nature photography, and boating. Funds also will be used by The Nature Conservancy(TNC) to acquire permanent conservation easements on the RMS Mingo Creek Tract, which will contribute to the protection of water quality at downstream surface-water intakes for municipal water supply in Georgetown County.
NEW PARTNERS: West Family, Lord Berkeley Conservation Trust
RELATIONSHIP TO PREVIOUSLY FUNDED NAWCA PROPOSALS: Over the past ten years, SC partners have exemplified how a diverse set of agencies and NGOs can establish mutual priorities for land protection and restoration. Task Force groups focused on the coastal ACJV waterfowl areas, Audubon South Carolina, Ducks Unlimited (DU), SCDNR, TNC, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have worked together with other partners to protect the most critically-important landscapes for birds and other wildlife. This project, a collaboration of five coastal Task Force partnerships, complements the growing coastal SC protected landscape and expands public ownership and management.
THREATS AND SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: As this nation's 40th largest state, SC's population grew 15.3% from 2000 to 2010 with over 50% of the population residing in the coastal counties. The state's population is predicted to jump by over 1 million new residents within the next fifteen years. NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL Schoodic Mountain to Peninsula Corridor- Coastal Maine Partnership
COUNTIES, STATES, CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS: Hancock County, Maine, District 2
GRANT AMOUNT $959,900 Allocation: Maine Coast Heritage Trust $649,600 Frenchman Bay Conservancy $310,300
MATCHING PARTNERS $2,098,500 Grantee: Maine Coast Heritage Trust $553,500 Frenchman Bay Conservancy $879,000 Elisabeth Heyward $500,000 The Conservation Fund $ 2,500 Virginia Rich and Matthew Sullivan $150,000 The Nature Conservancy $ 5,000 Pleasant River Wildlife Federation $ 1,000 Downeast Salmon Federation $ 500 Schoodic Institute $ 5,000 Frenchman Bay Partners $ 500 Maine Natural History Observatory $ 500 Downeast Audubon $ 500 Maine Dept. Fisheries and Wildlife $ 500
GRANT AND MATCH-ACTIVITIES, COSTS, AND ACRES $3,058,400/2,196 acres Fee Acquired $1,903,800 / 1,400 acres Fee Donated $500,000/ 51 acres Easements Acquired $185,000/433 acres Easements Donated $375,000/312 acres Other $94,600
PROPOSAL PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION: Protecting coastal habitat, including buffering uplands and headwater stream watersheds is critical to long-term water quality, and is vital to the long term viability of the Gulf of Maine ecosystem. The Schoodic Mountain to Peninsula Corridor- Coastal Maine Partnership focuses on these priority habitats within the Schoodic Region of Maine. The Schoodic Region includes the Schoodic Peninsula and its adjacent coastal waters (including portions of the Acadia Archipelago). This peninsula is surrounded by large areas of protected lands, as it is strategically located between Acadia National Park to the west, Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge to the east, and more than 15,000 acres of state-owned land to the north. This project is focused on increasing protection of the Schoodic Peninsula, and represents a unique opportunity to increase the protected acreages of high quality coastal wetlands and islands and greatly increase the linkage between the coastal habitats and the extensive inland freshwater wetlands and forest to the north. This project also increases the protection of islands within the Acadia Archipelago, a group of near and offshore islands that is one of the largest networks of conserved lands along the heavily populated Atlantic Coast. Fifteen local, state and federal partners, are working with private landowners to protect a landscape-scale conservation corridor linking the 2,600 acre Schoodic District of Acadia National Park, at the southern tip of Schoodic Peninsula and the 15,384 acre Donnell Pond Unit owned by the State at Schoodic Mountain. The protection of 2,196 acres associated with the 14 Project tracts will strategically connect and buffer existing protected lands; preserve, expand and improve conditions for wildlife populations; and, provide new public recreational opportunities. This proposal will leverage NAWCA funds with matching fund to protect 2,196 acres including 8 fee simple acquisitions, 1 fee simple donation, 2 easement acquisitions and conservation easement donations.
HABITAT TYPES AND WILDLIFE BENEFITTING: The Schoodic Partnership will protect 2,196 acres including some of the largest and most important wetland habitats remaining in the Schoodic Region, two complete islands and their 2.3 miles of intertidal mudflats and rocky shorelines in the Acadia Archipelago. Protecting entire islands ensures the integrity of pristine coastline, associated intertidal wetlands, and buffering uplands will remain intact; providing recreational opportunities and important buffers to both adjacent Acadia National Park and nearby Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge. Large concentrations of wetland birds are regularly observed, including common eiders, American black duck and purple sandpiper. Project tracts host an exceptional diversity of the region's rarest species, including harlequin ducks, Barrow's goldeneye, all three species of scoter, two species of phalarope, least bitterns, and more. Preserving entire islands protects their interior habitat, and in addition to coastal uplands, is regionally recognized as providing important stopover habitat for migrating landbirds. Four federal and eleven state threatened and endangered species directly benefit from the protection of breeding and foraging habitat and migration stop-overs.
PUBLIC BENEFITS/PUBLIC ACCESS: Match partners will hold the title to all the grant tracts and will allow for public access on its properties with sensitivity to important wildlife habitat. Partners will help develop Natural Resource Inventories on all fee acquisition tracts to prioritize areas best suited for low impact recreation. Other tracts are more remote and sensitive and will be open for low impact use and hunting, but will not necessarily have established trails. Preserving additional land near Acadia NP will buffer a core protected area; connect existing blocks of habitat; enhance visitor opportunities and experience; preserve valuable wildlife habitat, especially for area sensitive species and contribute to the overall conservation of this beautiful and ecologically important landscape. The three islands preserved provide exceptional wildlife viewing, and opportunities to experience coves, sheltered embayments, pristine spruce-fir forests, pink granite headlands, and much more. requirements and leave-no-trace principles will dictate potential recreational opportunities.
NEW PARTNERS: Elisabeth Heyward, Virginia Rich/ Matthew Sullivan are important new private landowners who are voluntarily protecting their land. Maine Natural History Observatory, Schoodic Institute and Frenchman Bay Partners are new.
RELATIONSHIP TO PREVIOUSLY FUNDED NAWCA PROPOSALS: Four previous NAWCA projects have created/ expanded public ownership, private protection, enhancement, restoration and habitat management in coastal Maine including coastal islands, inland wetlands and surrounding upland.
THREATS AND SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: The lands identified in this proposal are highly and imminently threatened. The 1,212 acres associated with Forbes Pond are on the market and could easily be sold for development, destroying the unfragmented habitat of the Schoodic Region and making additional lands and islands vulnerable to development. NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL SUMMARY ND Drift Prairie Project-V, North Dakota
COUNTY(IES), STATE(S), CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT(S): The North Dakota Drift Prairie Project (NDDP) area is located in Barnes, Benson, Cass, , Cavalier, Dickey, Eddy, Foster, Grand Forks, Griggs, LaMoure, Nelson, Pembina, Ramsey, Ransom, Richland, Sargent, Steele, Stutsman, Towner, Traill, Walsh and Wells Counties, ND, Congressional District 1.
GRANT AMOUNT $1,300,000 Allocation: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service $1,300,000
MATCHING PARTNERS $1,373,115 Grantee: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service $ 0 North Dakota Game and Fish Dept. $1,043,202 Ducks Unlimited $ 174,013 Private Landowners $ 155,900
GRANT AND MATCH -ACTIVITIES, COSTS, AND ACRES $2,673,115/20,886 acres Fee Acquired $187,000/47 acres Easements Acquired $999, 100/819 acres Leases Acquired $587,240/13,449acres Restored $235,970/125 acres Enhanced $625,830/6,446 acres Indirect Costs $37,975
PROPOSAL PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION: The North Dakota Drift Prairie Project- V (NDDPP) is the 5th phase of a project designed to protect, restore and enhance wetland and grassland habitats. The NDDPP encompasses more than 16.7 million acres within 22 counties in the Drift Prairie-Missouri Coteau physiographic sub-region of eastern North Dakota in the Prairie Pothole Joint Venture. The NDDPP lies in the heart of the Prairie Pothole Region and Prairie Pothole Joint Venture area. This landscape contains some of the most numerous, productive and diverse wetland communities in the world with wetland densities often exceeding 100 basins per square mile. This proposal will help protect, restore and enhance an ecological functioning prairie wetland complex through perpetual conservation grassland and wetland easements, wetland restoration, grass plantings, and managed grazing systems. The easement acquisitions in this proposal will be selected and located in the highest wetland density areas in this region. Specific locations of the grassland and wetland easements in this project are not known at this time but will be selected using the "Waterfowl Breeding Pair Distribution" maps developed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Habitat Population Evaluation Team in Bismarck, ND.
HABITAT TYPES AND WILDLIFE BENEFITTING: Wetland habitats in the NDDPP area are diverse and primarily classified as palustrine emergent wetlands exhibiting temporary, seasonal, semi-permanent and permanent water regimes. This proposal will exclusively target palustrine emergent wetlands and the adjacent native-grassland uplands which are critically important migration, breeding and nesting habitat for many waterfowl and wetland-dependent species.
PUBLIC BENEFITS/PUBLIC ACCESS: The wetlands and associated upland habitats on the leased habitat in this proposal will be open to public activities such as hunting, trapping, bird watching, photography, education, and hiking. Private land projects will be open to the public at the discretion of each individual landowner. Ancillary benefits include flood control, water quality maintenance, erosion control, tourism, economic diversity and infrastructure protection. NEW PARTNERS: Phase V of the NDDPP builds upon the successes of the past 4 grants in this project area, therefore, most agency and organization partnerships have been formed in past proposals. However, during the grant period, the activities associated with this proposal will identify and partner with many private landowners that will be new to this collaborative project.
RELATIONSHIP TO PREVIOUSLY FUNDED NAWCA PROPOSALS: The North Dakota Drift Prairie Project-V proposes to continue conserving, restoring and enhancing valuable migratory bird habitat within this project area in the same manner as the previous four grants.
THREATS AND SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: Wetland and native grassland habitats in the NDDPP area continue to be at risk of being drained or converted for production agriculture. Fee title acquisition and the purchase of conservation easements will perpetually protect this valuable grassland and wetland habitat. These conservation easements will be secured and enforced by the USFWS. Once secured, these vital habitats will always be available to wetland-dependent wildlife and grassland nesting waterfowl, shorebirds and passerines. It is much cheaper to protect this ecosystem while it is still intact than it is to try and restore it once it has been destroyed. NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL SUMMARY James River Lowlands/Missouri Coteau Project - Phase VIII
COUNTY(IES), STATE(S), CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT(S): The James River Lowlands/Missouri Coteau Project (JRLMCP) encompasses 8.8 million acres within 27 counties in the southern portion of the Missouri Coteau physiogeographic region of central South Dakota. Aurora, Beadle, Bon Homme, Brule, Buffalo, Campbell, Charles Mix, Davison, Douglas, Edmunds, Faulk, Hand, Hanson, Hughes, Hutchinson, Hyde, Jerauld, Kingsbury, McCook, McPherson, Miner, Potter, Sanborn, Spink, Sully, Walworth and Yankton Counties, South Dakota, First Congressional District.
GRANT AMOUNT $1,000,000 Allocation: Ducks Unlimited, Inc. $1,000,000
MATCHING PARTNERS $1,010,781 Grantee: Ducks Unlimited, Inc. $ 433,306 John Childs $ 458,000 Grohne Family Foundation $ 119,475
GRANT AND MATCH -ACTIVITIES, COSTS, AND ACRES $2,010,78112,152 acres Easements Acquired $2,010,78112,152 acres
PROPOSAL PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION: This is phase eight of a project designed to protect wetland and grassland communities using a landscape level approach to planning in the Prairie Pothole Joint Venture to protect critical habitat for migratory birds. Ducks Unlimited, Inc. and its partners along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife (USFWS) are proposing to use $1,000,000 in grant funds and $1 ,010,781 in match funds to acquire grassland and wetland easements in the Missouri Coteau and James River Lowlands Regions of South Dakota to protect 2,152 acres of grassland and wetland habitat for migratory birds. The easements will become part of the National Wildlife Refuge System under the Small Wetlands Acquisition Program. The native grasslands of the Missouri Coteau are essential to the recovery of grassland birds. Over 1.2 million acres within the project boundary are designated as Bird Conservation Areas (see Map 5). The protection of the wetland/upland complexes that will be accomplished by this project will have significant benefits for grassland birds.
HABITAT TYPES AND WILDLIFE BENEFITTING: Wetland habitats in the JRLMCP area are diverse and primarily classified as palustrine emergent wetlands exhibiting temporary, seasonal, semi-permanent and permanent water regimes. Wetlands with short hydroperiods are continuously at risk of being drained, filled or degraded by agricultural practices. These wetland types are critically important migratory and breeding habitats for many waterfowl and wetland-dependent wildlife species. Protection of native prairie surrounding these critically important prairie wetland habitats provides essential nesting habitat for waterfowl and other species, but will also minimize the influx of sediments, herbicides and pesticides into these wetlands. Waterfowl, particularly northern pintails, will benefit greatly from this project but numerous species of shorebirds, wading birds, marsh birds and other wetland-dependent wildlife species, grassland songbirds and other grassland-dependent wildlife species will also benefit. Valuable breeding, migration and, for some resident species, wintering habitat will be protected by this project.
PUBLIC BENEFITS: The perpetual Grassland and Wetland Easements will be secured on private land and will be open to public use at the discretion of each individual landowner. The primary public benefits will be habitat protection and meeting the needs of various wildlife species as well as providing some ranchers with the financial means to help them stay in the ranching business and preventing native prairie from being converted to cropland. Ancillary benefits include flood control, water quality maintenance, erosion control, tourism, economic diversity, carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas reduction, infrastructure protection, and historical preservation.
NEW PARTNERS: John Childs, the David F. and Margaret T. Grohne Family Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service remain steadfast in partnering to get this valuable resource protected.
RELATIONSHIP TO PREVIOUSLY FUNDED NAWCA PROPOSALS: The JRLMCP - Phase I, II, III, IV, V, and VI grants are complete. These first six phases of the project protected 34,578 acres of grassland and wetland habitat in perpetuity. Phase VII will be completed in 2016 and will increase those protected acres by 3,502 acres. This proposal will increase that acreage by 2,152 acres.
THREATS AND SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: Land values have more than doubled from 2009 to 2014. As land prices increase the amount of habitat that can be protected decreases due to the decrease in buying power. The only way to keep pace with the conversion is an increase in funding to protect this valuable migratory bird habitat. NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL SUMMARY Lower Mississippi Delta Wetlands, Mississippi
COUNTY(IES), ST ATE(S), CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT(S): Mississippi counties included are Adams, Humphreys, Issaquena, and Warren and Congressional Districts 2 and 3.
GRANT AMOUNT $ 999,481.45 Allocation: Foundation for MS Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks $999,481.45
MATCHING PARTNERS $2,003,923.97 Grantee: Foundation for MS Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks $ 25,575.00 Ducks Unlimited, Inc. $ 9,790.00 Wetlands America Trust, Inc. $ 861,900.00 Wetlands America Trust, Inc. $1,076,000.00 MS Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks $ 27,096.97 Bradshaw Tree, Inc. $ 2,562.00 Delta Wind Birds $ 1,000.00
GRANT AND MATCH -ACTIVITIES, COSTS, AND ACRES $3,003,405.42/2,618(474) acres Previously Approved MCP Funds $1,076,000.00 Easements Acquired $861,900.00/ l,430 acres Restored $132,562.00/300(412) acres Enhanced $882,090.27/888(62) acres Other $5,000.00 Indirect Costs $45,853.15
PROPOSAL PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION: The projects in this proposal are located in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMV) and represent a continuing effort to protect, restore, and enhance important wetland habitats. The LMV provides valuable habitat for millions of migratory birds and other wetland-dependent species. However, the LMV has lost a substantial amount of its wetlands due to changes in hydrology and conversion to agriculture, and the successful completion of these projects will help alleviate some of those degradations. By protecting, restoring, and enhancing the wetlands in this project, we will help ensure consistent, high-quality habitats for waterfowl, shorebirds, wading birds, and other wetland dependent wildlife in one of the most important wintering and migration areas for birds in North America. This project will protect 1,430 wetland acres and will enhance 810 (62) acres of moist soil wetland habitat and 28 acres of scrub-shrub wetland habitat via grant and match funds on public lands and restore 300(412) acres of bottomland hardwood wetlands via grant funds. Match funds will be used to enhance 50 acres of moist-soil wetland habitat. This partnership combines the land management capabilities of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP), the wetland design expertise of Ducks Unlimited Inc. (DU), and the land protection expertise of Wetlands America Trust, Inc. (WAT). Additionally, MDWFP has developed a new partnership with Bradshaw Tree, Inc. to restore wetland habitats and with Delta Wind Birds by enhancing additional wetland habitats in the LMV. Under this proposal, all project tracts are permanently protected via public or private ownership and provide significant long-term benefits to migratory birds.
HABITAT TYPES AND WILDLIFE BENEFITTING: Several wetland types will be conserved through grant and match projects in this proposal, including 1,037(62) acres of palustrine emergent, 1,025(412) acres of palustrine forested, 518 acres ofriverine habitat, and 28 acres of palustrine scrub-shrub wetlands. These projects will provide a diverse mixture of seasonal, semi-permanent, and permanent wetlands to benefit a suite of wetland wildlife. This proposal will provide breeding and brood-rearing habitat for wood ducks and hooded mergansers. Additionally, protection, enhancement, and restoration activities under this proposal will provide approximately 2,402,410 duck-energy-days of foraging capacity and important habitat for pair isolation, thermal refuge and roosting for 11 NAWCA High Priority and Priority waterfowl species and 10 NAWCA Other waterfowl species. Additionally, 21 NAWCA Priority species of wetland-dependent migratory birds from Bird Conservation Region 26 will benefit from increased foraging, nesting or roosting habitat. Numerous federal and state-listed endangered/threatened species will also benefit from these projects when they are completed. Proposed work will partially compensate for the region's loss of seasonally flooded forested wetlands. This proposal will enhance other wetland values and functions by improving local and regional water quality, providing natural flood storage capacity, and enhancing soil conservation by reducing sediments and nutrients in precipitation runoff.
PUBLIC BENEFITS/PUBLIC ACCESS: The public will enjoy numerous benefits from these projects. Mahannah WMA is managed by MDWFP, and will provide many public recreational opportunities including bird watching and hunting opportunities. Furthermore, the public will benefit from the additional wetland function and values created by the habitat protection, restoration, and enhancement projects and their effects on surrounding areas.
NEW PARTNERS: This proposal involves two members who are new to the NAWCA grant process. Bradshaw Tree, Inc. and Delta Wind Birds have not been a part of the NAWCA process before, and their matching contributions are important components of this overall proposal.
RELATION SHIP TO PREVIOUSLY FUNDED NAWCA PROPOSALS: The Foundation for Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks has had 3 previous NAWCA proposals funded in the LMV. All of the projects on WMAs in this proposal are part of an MDWFP strategic plan to provide waterfowl habitat dispersed across the Mississippi Delta: portion of the LMV. Therefore, this proposal is complementary to other projects funded on MDWFP owned and managed lands.
THREATS AND SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: NAWCA funding for this work is critical to enable the Foundation and its partners to respond to the needs of migratory birds and other wetland-dependent wildlife in the LMV. NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL SUMMARY Eastern Nebraska Wetlands-Nebraska
COUNTY(IES), STATE(S), CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT(S): Dixon, Dodge, Knox, Saunders, Stanton, Washington, NE, NE- 001 and NE- 003 D
GRANT AMOUNT $ 932,706 Allocation: Ducks Unlimited, Inc. $ 932,706
MATCHING PARTNERS $1,886,545 Grantee: Ducks Unlimited, Inc. $ 442,727 Nebraska Game and Parks Commission $1,068,818 Tom Hastings $ 375,000
GRANT AND MATCH -ACTIVITIES, COSTS, AND ACRES $2,819,251 I 2,2 14 (278) acres Fee Acquired $1,786,990 I 1,376 acres Restored $547,767 / 335 (30) acres Enhanced $384,553 / 503 (248) acres Indirect Costs $99,941
PROPOSAL PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION: The Eastern Nebraska Wetlands proposal project seeks to protect, restore, enhance wetland habitats which are critical to migrating waterfowl, shorebirds, waterbirds, and other wetland-dependent wildlife along the Missouri River, Niobrara River, Elkhorn River, and other eastern Nebraska wetland complexes. The proposal area serves as a gateway for the Central Flyway between the Rainwater Basin and Prairie Pothole Region, which ensures birds will return to the breeding grounds in optimal body condition each spring. Additionally, the Missouri River is a corridor connecting the Mississippi Flyway to the PPR. This proposal contains 2 habitat protection projects, 5 wetland restoration projects, and 3 wetland enhancement projects.
HABITAT TYPES AND WILDLIFE BENEFITTING: The proposed projects will protect, restore, and enhance a diversity of habitats, but predominately palustrine emergent marsh and riparian wetlands. A diversity of migratory birds and wetland dependent wildlife use these areas year round. A large number of high priority waterfowl, shorebird, waterbird, passerine, and raptor species are noted on each of the project areas. The proposal also has the potential to benefit threatened or endangered species such as whooping cranes, least terns, piping plovers, and pallid sturgeon. Additionally, numerous other important game and non-game species will utilize the areas detailed in this proposal.
PUBLIC BENEFITS/PUBLIC ACCESS: The greatest attribute of this proposal is that all (100%) of the land included in this proposal is open to the public, and they receive substantial public use for recreational activities such as hunting, fishing, hiking, bird watching, boating, and numerous other forms of outdoor recreation due to their proximity to the highly populated areas of Omaha and Lincoln. Ponca State Park receives over 400,000 visitors per year. All the acquisition, restoration, and enhancement projects benefit the public by improving habitat that can be accessed for various recreational opportunities while also providing resident and migrating wildlife with quality habitat year round.
NEW PARTNERS: Private Landowner Tom Hastings, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Desoto National Wildlife Refuge staff
RELATION SHIP TO PREVIOUSLY FUNDED NAWCA PROPOSALS: This proposal covers an area of Nebraska with no previous submissions. THREATS AND SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: Eastern Nebraska wetlands, rivers, and lakes have been highly degraded by anthropogenic activities. Wetlands are constantly under threat of drainage for urban or agricultural development. Additional threats come from commercial commerce along the rivers themselves in the form of dredging and removal of important sandbars and shallows. This proposal protects a critical stretch of the Missouri River from much of this activity. NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL SUMMARY MAV Wetlands Conservation I
COUNTIES, STATES, CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS: Holmes, Issaquena, Madison, Quitman, and Sharkey Counties, Mississippi, Congressional District 2
GRANT AMOUNT: $ 999,623 Allocation: Ducks Unlimited (DU) $ 999,623
MATCHING PARTNERS $2,115,250 Grantee: DU $ 100,000 Cypress Brake Tree Farms $ 250 MS Dept. of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks $ 15,000 MS Land Trust (MCP) $2,000,000
GRANT AND MATCH - ACTIVITIES, COSTS, AND ACRES $3 ,114,873/4,137 (10) acres Easements Acquired $2,000,000/2,262 acres Restored $ 55,885/135 acres Enhanced $ 967,070/ l,740 (10) acres Indirect Costs $ 91,918
PROPOSAL PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION: The MAY Wetlands Conservation I is the first phase of proposals aimed at protection, restoration and enhancement of priority wetlands in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMAV) on public lands by leveraging strategic conservation easements on private lands in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Wetlands in the LMAV support a rich diversity of wildlife species. Forested, scrub-shrub and emergent wetlands and associated uplands in the region provide migration and wintering habitat for millions of wetland dependent and associated migratory birds. However, the LMAV has lost a substantial amount of its wetlands due to changes in hydrology and conversion to agriculture. The completion of proposed work will build on past NAWCA investments in wetlands conservation in the proposal area and will set a foundation for future efforts to help mitigate some of those degradations and ensure that the LMAV continues to fulfill its historical role as one of the most important landscapes in North America for continental populations of waterfowl, wading birds, shorebirds and other wetland-dependent migratory birds. All proposal sites are in continental geographic priority areas of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, North American Landbird Conservation Plan, North American Waterbird Conservation Plan, and the United States Shorebird Conservation Plan. The partners are working together to implement long-term wetland conservation strategies to meet regionally specific goals and objectives of these science-based plans. Grant funds will be combined with match and federal non-match funds from five partners to complete protection, restoration and enhancement of 4,137 (10) acres on six proposal sites in LMAV and an adjacent tract in the East Gulf Coastal Plain (EGCP) in Mississippi. All tracts are protected either as public lands or through a conservation easement and will provide wildlife habitat in perpetuity. Once implemented, they will help compensate for the long-term loss and degradation of palustrine emergent and palustrine forested wetlands in the LMAV and EGCP. The projects on public lands will improve the capability of managers to more efficiently manage larger wetland areas for the benefit of waterfowl and other waterbirds, and will provide additional recreational and educational opportunities for public benefit.
HABITAT TYPES AND WILDLIFE BENEFITTING: This proposal will protect, restore and enhance 4,137 (10) acres on federal, state and private lands in the LMAV and EGCP in Mississippi. The ecologically diverse habitats conserved through this proposal include: 80 (10 prior) acres of palustrine emergent wetlands, 2,233 acres of protected, restored and enhanced forested wetlands, 16 acres of protected palustrine scrub/shrub wetlands, and 1,808 protected acres of uplands and protection of 3.19 riparian miles. This proposal will improve habitat conditions or protect habitat for 6 NAWCA Priority waterfowl species, 5 NAWCA Other Priority waterfowl species, and 12 other species of waterfowl. Increased foraging, nesting or roosting habitat will benefit 20 NAWCA Priority Species of wetland dependent migratory birds from Bird Conservation Regions 26 and 27. Habitat for over 50 other species of wetland-dependent/wetland associated migratory birds will improve after implementation. Four federal and one state listed endangered/ threatened species should benefit from completed work. By protecting, restoring and enhancing 2,233 acres ofbottomland hardwoods, this project will help compensate for the region's loss of seasonally flooded forested wetlands and will enhance other wetland values and functions by improving water quality in adjacent waterways, providing natural flood storage capacity and enhancing soil conservation by reducing sediments and nutrients in precipitation runoff.
PUBLIC BENEFITS/PUBLIC ACCESS: Public access will be available and enhanced on five of the six proposal tracts providing 1,875 (10) acres ofrestored and enhanced wetlands that will be accessible to the public and managed for migratory birds, threatened and endangered species habitat, and for wildlife oriented recreation and education consistent with habitat conservation efforts. Two of the tracts are part of National Wildlife Refuges (NWR), two are state Wildlife Management Areas and one tract is a National Forest. Restoration of 135 acres of bottornland hardwoods is in an area heavily utilized for big game and small game hunting, and will be included in the area open for those hunting opportunities. The 1,644 acres of enhanced bottomland hardwood Green Tree Reservoirs (GTR) on the Delta National Forest are heavily used for waterfowl hunting, as well as for big and small game hunting during the fall, and for spring turkey hunting. Morgan Brake NWR enhancement work includes three impoundments that will be open for waterfowl hunting and wildlife viewing. Enhancement of 55 acres of shallow-water impoundments will be open for waterfowl hunting and will be improved upon project completion.
NEW PARTNERS: The Mississippi Land Trust is pleased to be a new partner to NAWCA , and is contributing $2,000,000 in match toward this proposal and $5,977,000 to be preserved for future NAWCA proposals as part of a new multi-year Matching Contributions Plan.
RELATIONSHIP TO PREVIOUSLY FUNDED NAWCA PROPOSALS: While this is the first in a series of at least two planned by DU for the proposal area, the work described herein builds on the progress of several previously-funded NAWCA projects implemented by DU and partners in the LMAV. Protection, restoration and enhancement ofrecently completed work as part of the Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge Complex Wetlands Restoration and Enhancement II and III (NA WCA July 2011) project included enhancement and restoration of wetlands on Morgan Brake NWR and Hillside NWR which are project sites in this current proposal. Also, the Mississippi Wetlands Conservation Initiative I (NAWCA March 2013) project included strategic restoration and enhancement work at Mahannah WMA, necessary for additional work planned for the WMA under this proposal. The Mississippi Wetlands Conservation Initiative II (NAWCA July 2013) project expanded on the success of Phase I for work in the Mississippi River Alluvial Plain, and this proposal will complement those investments as well. These and other past and current NAWCA projects in the LMAV are advancing conservation measures that fulfill the goals and objectives of the four major migratory bird conservation plans to restore, enhance and protect wetland functions and values in the region.
THREATS AND SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: The work planned in the Delta National Forest will address a failing water control structure that enables water management on Long Bayou green tree reservoir. The structure is on the verge of complete failure and should be replaced within a year to avoid undue stress on the mature bottornland hardwoods in the GTR. NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL SUMMARY VA Tidal Rivers & Bays I
COUNTIES, STATE, CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS: Accomack, King and Queen, King William, Powhatan, Southampton and Surry Counties, Virginia, Congressional Districts 1, 2, 3 and 4
GRANT AMOUNT $1,000,000 Allocation: Ducks Unlimited $1 ,000,000
MATCHING PARTNERS $2,000,000 Grantee: Ducks Unlimited $ 292,883 Mary Morton Parsons Foundation $ 150,000 Private $ 400,000 Priv~e $ 79,000 VA Dept. of Game and Inland Fisheries $ 400,000 VA Outdoors Foundation $ 360,000 . VA Outdoors Foundation $ 318,117
GRANT AND MATCH - ACTIVITIES, COSTS, AND ACRES $3 ,000,000/2,587 acres Easements Acquired $1,242,714/l,195 acres Enhanced $1,693,852/ l ,392 acres Indirect Costs $63,434
PROPOSAL PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION: The Virginia Tidal Rivers and Bays I proposal (VTRB) is the first in a series of projects planned by Ducks Unlimited (DU) in coordination with local, state and federal agencies, other non-government organizations and private landowners to enhance, restore and protect key wetlands along tributaries in coastal Virginia (VA), including the Chesapeake Bay and Back Bay. The 64,000 square mile Chesapeake Bay watershed is North America's largest and most biologically diverse estuary. As home to over 3,600 plant and animal species, the Bay supports a complex system of aquatic and terrestrial habitats that are linked to human and natural landscapes and water quality in the watershed. The Bay and its thousands of miles ofriver and stream habitats support abundant living resources by providing key forage species and habitat. This proposal will support the Chesapeake Bay Program's key goal of protecting and restoring vital habitats in the watershed and will assist in maintaining or improving existing water quality. Under this proposal, seven partners [Ducks Unlimited, two private landowners, the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF), the Virginia Outdoors Foundation (VOF), the Mary Morton Parsons Foundation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)] are collaborating to improve and protect 2,587 wetland and associated upland acres in the Virginia coastal plain within four designated focus areas defined in the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture (ACJV) Implementation Plans for the South Atlantic Migratory Bird Initiative (SAMBI) and the New England/Mid-Atlantic Coast. All proposal sites are within identified geographic priority areas for the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, Partners in Flight Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain Bird Conservation Plan, the North American Waterbird Conservation Plan, and the United States Shorebird Conservation Plan, BCR 30 Plan and SAMBI.
HABITAT TYPES AND WILDLIFE BENEFITTING: Three conservation easements will protect 325 acres of palustrine forested wetlands, 82 acres of palustrine emergent wetlands and 105 acres of estuarine intertidal vegetation ( classified as decreasing) and 683 acres of uplands. The three proposed enhancement projects include 1,392 acres of palustrine emergent wetlands classified as decreasing. Upon completion, this project will provide increased foraging capacity and important habitat for pair isolation, thermal refuge and roosting for six NAWCA High Priority waterfowl species, five NAWCA Other Priority waterfowl species and seven other species of waterfowl. Ten NAWCA Priority Species of wetland- dependent migratory birds from BCRs 27 and 30 will benefit from increased foraging, nesting or roosting habitat. Several other wetland-dependent or wetland associated species will also benefit directly, including seven federally-listed, threatened or candidate species, two federal species of concern, and three state-listed endangered and six species of greatest conservation need. The proposal will enhance other wetland values and functions by improving local and regional water quality and enhancing soil conservation by reducing sediment in precipitation runoff. All proposal sites are adjacent to tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay and Back Bay, and the project includes 11.44 riparian miles that will be protected or enhanced through proposal activities.
PUBLIC BENEFITS/PUBLIC ACCESS: All proposal sites have or will be protected in perpetuity either by conservation through easements or as a state wildlife area. A portion of the proposed area will be managed for migratory birds, threatened and endangered species habitat and for wildlife viewing, paddling, nature-based recreation, research and education commensurate with habitat conservation efforts. The privately owned portions of the proposal will increase the area managed and available for migrating birds using the wetlands, will be available for limited public access for fishing and boating at designated times during the year along the Nottoway River, or will enhance the experience of paddlers and boaters using the areas.
NEW PARTNERS: This proposal includes three new partners: Mary Morton Parsons Foundation and two private landowners - Susan and Tim Brown, Owner of Hills and Matt Crowder, Owner of Crowder and White Contracting LLC.
RELATIONSHIP TO PREVIOUSLY FUNDED NAWCA PROPOSALS: This proposal builds on the successful implementation of previous NAWCA proposals in the ACJV focus areas in coastal Virginia and the Chesapeake Bay Area by DU, other partners, and the USFWS. Other efforts to protect river and bay habitats by TNC in the Dragon Run Watershed and USFWS in the Rappahannock National Wildlife Refuge acquisition boundary with NAWCA and other public and private funds complement the proposed activities in this grant. These combined efforts will contribute to improvements of the water quality in the Chesapeake Bay and Back Bay Watersheds.
THREATS AND SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: A conservation easement on a portion of the proposal is critical to for protection of the older-growth cypress/tupelo swamp forest on a state-designated scenic river. This tract features high quality sawtimber that is accessible and in close proximity to sawmills. A new hardwood fuel pellet plant has increased logging pressure on the hardwood-rich floodplain forests along the Nottoway River, making this parcel attractive to timber buyers. NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL SUMMARY Carolina Wetlands Initiative II
COUNTIES, STATE, CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS: Beaufort (NC), Craven (NC), Carteret (NC), Jones (NC), Williamsburg (SC). North Carolina, Districts 1 and 3; South Carolina, District 6
GRANT AMOUNT $1,000,000 Allocation: Ducks Unlimited $1,000,000
MATCHING PARTNERS $2,010,000 Grantee: Ducks Unlimited $ 5,000 City of Havelock $ 5,000 North Carolina Coastal Land Trust $1,500,000 North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission $ 100,000 Private Landowner $ 400,000
GRANT AND MATCH - ACTIVITIES, COSTS, AND ACRES $3,010,000/ l,215 acres Fee Acquired $1,639,083/395 acres Enhanced $ 347,964/820 acres Other (MCP) $1,000,000 Indirect Costs $ 22,953
PROPOSAL PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION: This Carolina Wetlands Initiative II (CWI 11) proposal is the second in a series of projects focused on protection, restoration and enhancement of tidal riverine and estuarine wetland complexes within the Coastal Plain of North and South Carolina. This effort joins four seasoned NAWCA partners who have made significant investments in the region through past initiatives such as the Southeastern North Carolina Wetlands Initiative (NAWCA Phases I - IV), as well as two new partners committed to wetlands conservation in the state. CWI II seeks to combine the funding and expertise of an existing partnership among Ducks Unlimited, the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust, the U.S. Forest Service, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and two new collaborators, the City of Havelock, NC and a private South Carolina landowner. The project area for this proposal encompasses two Atlantic Coast Joint Venture Waterfowl Focus Areas within these two states, Neuse-Pamlico Rivers and Winyah Bay Focus Areas, and eight focus areas of the South Atlantic Migratory Bird Initiative. This proposal advances that work by permanently protecting priority tracts within the coastal South Carolina Waterfowl Focus Areas consisting of forested palustrine wetlands, tidal freshwater marsh, salt marsh, riverine habitat and associated uplands, including maritime forest, mixed pine hardwood forest, managed pine, and early successional habitat. The proposal significantly contributes to the goals of national and regional bird conservation plans. The project includes five acquisition tracts, encompassing 395 new acres of wetlands and uplands. The project also includes enhancement of 820 acres of freshwater impoundments to allow moist soil management. Non-Service ownership supports the task force partnership responsibilities currently in place for the project area and promotes continued local participation, particularly private landowner support, in the long-term conservation objectives of acquiring and restoring/enhancing wetland habitat in this region of coastal North and South Carolina.
HABITAT TYPES AND WILDLIFE BENEFITTING: Conservation actions in this NAWCA application will protect 395 acres of wetlands and uplands and enhance 820 acres of wetlands in the coastal plain of North and South Carolina. Upon completion, this project will provide increased foraging capacity and important habitat for pair isolation, thermal refuge and roosting for 6 NAWCA High Priority waterfowl species, 5 NAWCA Other Priority waterfowl species and seven other species of waterfowl. Additionally, 10 NAWCA Priority Species of wetland-dependent migratory birds from BCR 27 will benefit from increased foraging, nesting or roosting habitat. Several other wetland-dependent or wetland associated species will also benefit directly, including 9 federally listed, threatened or candidate species, 5 federal species of concern, and 23 state-listed endangered or species of concern. The proposal will enhance other wetland values and functions by improving local and regional water quality and enhancing soil conservation by reducing sediment in precipitation runoff.
PUBLIC BENEFITS/PUBLIC ACCESS: All areas associated with this NAWCA application will have public benefits, and will increase or enhance the number of acres in North and South Carolina with public access for nature-based recreation, environmental education and nature studies.
NEW PARTNERS: The City of Havelock and Private Landowner are new NAWCA partners.
RELATIONSHIP TO PREVIOUSLY FUNDED NAWCA PROPOSALS: The proposed work on 1,215 acres in this proposal build on wetland conservation efforts achieved or underway by partners through the four prior Southeast North Carolina Wetlands Initiative (SE NCWI) NAWCA projects implemented from 2008 and 2013 as well as a large portfolio of projects in Coastal South Carolina. Those SENCWI I - IV projects successfully protected and/or restored 24,041 acres in the NC coastal plain. The tracts included in this Carolina Wetlands Initiative II NAWCA proposal fall within the same ACJV SAMBI focal area and greatly contribute to and expand the area under conservation and active management along the Carolina coasts. Other prior NAWCA funds have been invested in acquisition of parcels adjacent to portions of this proposed project as part of a long-term strategy by the states of NC, SC and NGO partners to permanently protect this undeveloped estuarine and riverine conservation and compatible nature-based public uses respectively.
THREATS AND SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: All proposed fee acquisitions are needed to ensure the protection of fragile habitat, threatened by conversion and development and to avoid additional non-point source pollution into adjacent waterways. Permanent protection of these properties will prevent development that would add sediments, contaminants and non-point pollution which would further degrade waters in this watershed, in accordance with the recommendations of the NC Watershed Recovery Strategy. NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL SUMMARY Creole Marsh, LA
COUNTY, STATE, CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: Cameron Parish, Louisiana, LA-3
GRANT AMOUNT $1,000,000 Allocation: Ducks Unlimited, Inc. $1,000,000
MATCHING PARTNERS $2,200,000 Coastal Protection & Restoration Authority $2,000,000 Cameron Parish Gravity Drainage District 4 $ 100,000 Ducks Unlimited $ 100,000
GRANT AND MATCH - ACTIVITIES, COSTS, AND ACRES $3,200,000/11,308 acres Restored $3,200,000/11,308 acres
PROPOSAL PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION: This proposal positively impacts a total of 22,424 acres of intermediate/brackish coastal marsh. Among other items, grant funds will pay for engineering, design and construction related to the replacement and/or refurbishment of half of a large water control structure that provides marsh management and salinity control of a large tract of critical privately owned coastal marsh in SW Louisiana. The first half of the structure will be constructed using Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP) funds and the acres will be divided so that this project will claim benefit of 11 ,212 acres. Of the 11 ,212 acres, 11 ,206 acres are intermediate/brackish marsh and six acres are forested wetlands. This structure will also greatly facilitate drainage during extreme high water events, such as storm events, when it is critical to stop the entry, or in the event of coastal flooding, to remove saltwater in a timely fashion. This will be especially important to the marsh vegetation but also the forested habitat. Tract 2 (match) involves the creation of 96 acres of brackish marsh in a degraded open water area.
HABITAT TYPES AND WILDLIFE BENEFITTING: Wetland restoration and enhancement activities included in this proposal will restore natural conditions and enhance the quality of wintering, breeding and migration habitat available to waterfowl and other wetland-dependent migratory birds that utilize the Chenier Plain. Other benefits range from shallow flooded fields to mudflats as much of the fringe habitat is cattle pasture at the interface of the marsh that is often shallowly flooded. The project should also help in maintaining shrubs and small trees within the forested portion and other woody areas within the project boundary. These combined activities will increase foraging opportunities for waterfowl, shorebirds, waterbirds and landbirds that regularly use coastal wetland habitats in southwest Louisiana. The restoration work proposed herein will promote benefits to priority migratory birds within National Priority Wetlands Areas of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, Partners In Flight, the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan, and North American Waterbird Conservation Plan and the Partners in Flight Gulf Coastal Prairie Bird Conservation Plan. These restoration practices are also supported by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Vision for a Healthy Gulf of Mexico Watershed; Priorities and Strategies; Chenier Plain. The proposal areas contain migration and wintering habitat for five high priority waterfowl species (lesser and greater scaup, mottled duck, northern pintail and mallard), five other priority species (American wigeon, wood duck, redhead, canvasback and ring-necked duck) and 14 additional waterfowl species. Additionally, 33 NA WCA priority species of other wetland dependent or wetland-associated birds in the Gulf Coast Prairie (BCR 3 7), over 100 species of migratory birds and at least three federal (interior least tern, piping plover, red knot) and state (brown pelican, peregrine falcon, whooping crane and bald eagle) listed species that breed, winter or migrate through the Gulf Coast will/may be positively affected by work completed in this proposal.
PUBLIC BENEFITS/PUBLIC ACCESS: A resulting public benefit of work completed under this proposal will be the restoration of wetland functions and values that make the Louisiana coastal wetlands a sustainable ecosystem, providing ecologically valuable and economically significant goods and services to humans, including improvements to water quality, storage and/or reduction of flooding associated with tropical storms and hurricanes, and a host of fish and wildlife habitat-related aspects. All of these goods and services are beneficial to the general public. The majority of the project area is leased or utilized by the landowners for waterfowl hunting as it is one of the most productive wintering waterfowl areas on the entire Gulf Coast. Although this work will occur on private lands, quality wetlands, regardless of ownership, provide necessary habitats for wildlife and ecological functions that benefit people.
NEW PARTNERS: Cameron Parish Gravity Drainage District No. 4
RELATIONSHIP TO PREVIOUSLY FUNDED NAWCA PROPOSALS: Several similar projects in the past have been very successful in the Chenier Plain but none in this immediate area were funded through NAWCA.
THREATS AND SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: The coastal land loss occurring along Louisiana's coast has been well documented. Since the 1930s, Louisiana has lost over 1.2 million acres of coastal wetlands. It is expected that an additional 400,000 acres will be lost by 2050. Action is especially warranted. NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL SUMMARY Suisun Wetlands Conservation, Phase II, California
COUNTY(S), STATE(S), CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT(S): Solano County, California, Congressional Districts 7 & 10
GRANT AMOUNT $1,000,000 Allocation: California Waterfowl Association $1,000,000
MATCHING PARTNERS $1,827,975 Grantee: California Waterfowl Association $ 0 California Waterfowl Association (MCP) $1 ,165,500 CA Wildlife Conservation Board $ 339,155 CA Department of Fish and Wildlife $ 149,950 Cordelia Gun Club $ 39,800 RD 1607 $ 39,275 Tree Slough Farms $ 33 ,920 Mrs Murphy $ 20,200 Gun Ranch $ 20,175 Concord Farms $ 8,000 Dead Duck Country Club $ 8,000 Black Dog Gun Club $ 4,000
GRANT AND MATCH - ACTIVITIES, COSTS & ACRES $2,827,975/l,542 (3 ,630) acres Enhanced $1,629,505/l,542 (3,630) acres Previously Approved MCP $1 ,165,500 Other Direct Costs $32,970
PROPOSAL PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION: This proposal encompasses the entire Suisun Marsh (Marsh), which is located in the Central Valley of California, adjacent to and between the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The Central Valley has been described by the Central Valley Joint Venture as the "most important wintering area for waterfowl in the Pacific Flyway". It is estimated that 60% of the Pacific Flyway's waterfowl population (excluding sea ducks), representing about 20% of the entire continental waterfowl population, either winters or migrates through the Central Valley of California. Natural wetlands in California have declined by over 90% from an estimated 5- million acres historically to less than 450,000 acres at the present time.
HABITAT TYPE AND WILDLIFE BENEFITTING: The Central Valley Joint Venture's (CVJV) 2006 Implementation Plan Update of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) is the primary plan guiding long-term wetland conservation in the Central Valley. All 13 of the projects fall within the Suisun Basin, one of the nine CVJV watershed basins, and will directly contribute towards achieving the goals of the CVJV by enhancing existing wetlands on both private and public lands. The proposed projects will benefit six high priority waterfowl species, six priority waterfowl species and 18 other species of waterfowl. Projects will also benefit numerous NAWCA priority birds, 16 federal and state listed and candidate species, and numerous species of concern. The proposed activities will enhance 1,542 (3,630) acres of palustrine emergent wetlands.
PUBLIC BENEFITS/PUBLIC ACCESS: The proposed project on Grizzly Island WA (GIW A), which is owned and managed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, is open to the public throughout the year for activities such as birding, hiking, hunting, wildlife photography and research. Grizzly Ranch was purchased, in part, with public funds from the California Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) to support and continue the controlled public access programs CW A had developed with the previous owners, which included controlled public hunting through CW A's Hunt Program. Hunting at Grizzly Ranch is mostly limited to youth hunters (less than 16 years old) and their chaperones, but also includes specialty hunts for novice hunters, women, and veterans. Additionally, Grizzly Ranch is used for environmental and hunter education and outreach programs aimed at increasing awareness of and participation in outdoor activities. Since CWA acquired the property, these types of programs have involved an average of 550 people per year. Proposed work on private lands will improve overall habitat quality for waterfowl and other fish and wildlife that use public and private lands in the Suisun Marsh. Although the general public is often excluded from entering these private lands, the wildlife that they support are often viewed and enjoyed from nearby lands and waterways open to the public.
NEW PARTNERS: This proposal includes 3 private landowners who have never participated in a NAWCA project. A fourth project includes a property that has never participated in a NAWCA project, but the landowner group has previously participated on an adjacent property.
RELATIONSHIP TO PREVIOUSLY FUNDED NAWCA PROPOSALS: This proposal intends to build on the success and partnerships developed during the implementation of previous NAWCA grants in Suisun Marsh. New regulatory constraints and emerging scientific findings about Suisun Marsh have changed the way the partners view habitat management and enhancement efforts in the Marsh. For this reason, the decision was made to start a new series of NAWCA grants in 2013 aimed at enhancing managed seasonal wetlands in a manner that provides greater benefits to wider suite of wildlife. Ensuring the long-term health and diversity of the entire Suisun Marsh ecosystem will require a balanced habitat management and enhancement approach that addresses the needs of multiple fish and wildlife species. Previously funded NAWCA grants in Suisun have been paramount to the development of productive partnerships and implementation of new enhancement and management strategies.
THREATS AND SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: Suisun Marsh is one of the most unique wetland ecosystems in California. Increasing stressors on Suisun have created the need for additional financial investment in the enhancement of the Marsh. Climate change and sea level rise pose significant threats to the delicate and complex ecosystems located in and around the San Francisco Bay, Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and Central Valley of California. Compounded by the ever increasing human population and competition for precious natural resources, managing a sustainable marsh ecosystem is becoming increasingly difficult in California. Strong partnerships developing new and innovative managment techniques and technologies are more critical than ever to maintain the quantity, and more importantly, the quality of existing wetland habitats in this state. NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL SUMMARY Texas Gulf Coast XIII
COUNTY(IES), STATE(S), CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT(S): Aransas, Austin, Bee, Brazoria, Brooks, Calhoun, Cameron, Chambers, Colorado, Fort Bend, Galveston, Goliad, Harris, Hidalgo, Jackson, Jefferson, Kenedy, Kleberg, Lavaca, Liberty, Matagorda, Nueces, Orange, Refugio, San Patricio, Starr, Victoria, Waller, Wharton, and Willacy; Texas; Congressional Districts: 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 18, 22, 25, 27, 28, and 29.
GRANT AMOUNT $ 999,846 Allocation: Ducks Unlimited, Inc. $ 999,846
MATCHING PARTNERS $2,000,000 Private Landowners - $1,028,410 Hall's Bayou Ranch LLC - $ 350,000 B'Mann Farms LLC - $ 260,000 Ducks Unlimited, Inc. $ 111 ,590 Texas Parks & Wildlife Department - $ 100,000 National Fish and Wildlife Foundation - $ 150,000
GRANT AND MATCH -ACTIVITIES, COSTS, AND ACRES $2,999,846 I 2,519 acres Restored - $540,000 I 666 acres Enhanced - $2,344,410 / 1,853 acres Indirect Costs - $115,436
PROJECT PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION: Collectively, this proposal continues the Texas Prairie Wetlands Project (TPWP), a 24-year partnership of private landowners, a private foundation, state and federal agencies, and non-governmental organizations, committed to the long-term support of wetlands conservation on the Texas Gulf Coast, and will include projects across each of the three initiative areas within the Texas portion of the Gulf Coast Joint Venture (Chenier Plain Initiative Area, Texas Mid-Coast Initiative Area, and Laguna Madre Initiative Area). This proposal will restore, and enhance an additional 2,519 acres of wetland habitat on private lands. Grant and match funds will be used to complete restoration and enhancement of 2,519 acres of seasonally flooded moist-soil units, palustrine emergent wetlands, and rice fields on private lands that will provide important migration, wintering, and breeding habitat for numerous species of waterfowl, shorebirds, wading birds, and neo-tropical migrant songbirds. New matching funds by Ducks Unlimited (DU), Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD), Private landowners (PLO), as well as old match funds by National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), Hall 's Bayou Ranch LLC (HBR), and B 'Mann Farms LLC (BMF) will complement and offset restoration and enhancement costs associated with the TPWP. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Partners Program is participating as a non-match partner to provide $100,000 to compliment restoration activities associated with TPWP.
HABITAT TYPES AND WILDLIFE BENEFITTING: These projects will partially compensate for the region's continued loss of fresh/intermediate marsh, wet prairie habitat, and riparian habitat and will provide semi-permanent and seasonal wetland habitat for waterfowl, shorebirds, wading birds and other wetland-dependent wildlife by collectively protecting, restoring, and enhancing 2,519 acres of decreasing palustrine emergent wetlands that will collectively provide habitat for over 304 bird species. Habitat diversity and geography in the Gulf Coastal Prairies make it an important area to wintering, migrating, and resident waterfowl, shorebirds, and wading birds. This region winters 52% of the Central Flyway waterfowl population and hosts ducks and/or geese from major breeding locations in North America. Accomplished proposal objectives will contribute to foraging, habitat, and species objectives for waterfowl, shorebirds, waterbirds, and landbirds, as identified in many national and regional bird plans. This proposal will provide breeding habitat for mottled ducks, black-bellied and fulvous whistling ducks, as well as provide wintering/migration habitat for 6 high priority (mottled duck, northern pintail, mallard, lesser scaup, greater scaup, and Cackling Canada Goose) and 5 other priority waterfowl species (redhead, canvasback, American wigeon, wood duck, and ring-necked duck), and over 30 NAWCA priority waterbird and landbird species, and many other wetland-associated species. Six federal and 16 state listed endangered/threatened species will benefit from proposal activities. The proposal will enhance other wetland values by improving water quality and increasing natural flood storage and soil conservation.
PUBLIC BENEFITS/PUBLIC ACCESS: Although there is no open public access on TPWP projects, many TPWP projects are leased for waterfowl hunting, photography, and eco-tourism. Many TPWP projects are located within 100 miles of the greater Houston metropolitan area, which is the third largest city in the United States, with a population of over 3 million.
NEW PARTNERS: Halls Bayou Ranch and B' Mann Farms.
RELATIONSHIPS TO PREVIOUSLY FUNDED NAWCA PROPOSALS: This proposal directly compliments several previous NAWCA proposals (Texas Gulf Coast V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, and XII and Texas Water Delivery I) which have provided NAWCA and partner funds for the restoration and enhancement of private and public lands on the Texas Gulf Coast. Collectively the private land projects enrolled in Texas Prairie Wetlands Projects in those proposals provide up to 20% of the available habitat on portions of the Texas Coast in some years.
THREATS AND SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: Texas is facing heightened development pressures via an increasing human population and its need for residential, commercial, and industrial development. This development and subsequent land use changes necessitate the need for continued wetland enhancement and restoration projects that will provide the necessary wintering and stopover wetland habitats for migratory waterfowl, waterbirds, and landbirds. The capacity of the Texas Coast to winter the waterfowl objectives of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, is currently estimated to be 200,000 acres short. With Texas being 95 % privately owned, it is imperative that conservation efforts seek to work with and include private landowners in those conservation efforts. The effort on private lands is further heightened given the lack of funding, lack of staff, and changing priorities. NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL SUMMARY White & Cache Rivers Wetlands Conservation Project II, AR
COUNTY (IES), STATE(S), CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT(S): Prairie County, Arkansas, Congressional District 1st
GRANT AMOUNT $1,000,000 Allocation: US Fish & Wildlife Service $1,000,000
MATCHING PARTNERS $2,031,475 Grantee: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service $ 0 Wetlands America Trust $ 964,525 The Nature Conservancy $ 525,000 Arkansas Game & Fish Commission $ 500,000 RiverOaks, Inc. (Canale family) $ 40,950 Operation Wounded Warrior Support $ 1,000
GRANT AND MATCH-ACTIVITIES, COSTS, AND ACRES $3,031,475/2,177-acres Acquired - Grant $1,001,000/490-acres Enhanced $525,000/1,414-acres Acquired -Easement $40,950/273-acres Other (Previously Approved MCP) $1,464,525
PROPOSAL PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION: The primary objectives of this project are to acquire, protect, enhance, restore, and to actively manage wetlands/floodplain habitats critical and unique to waterfowl, shorebirds, marsh birds, wading birds, forest birds, endangered species, and other wetland dependent wildlife, including mussels and fishes, in the Lower White and Cache Rivers Basin (LWCRB) of the Lower Mississippi Valley (LMV). During this project (Project II), the US Fish and Wildlife Service/Cache River National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) with assistance from its diverse coalition of partners, will purchase fee title within the Cache River floodplain (Prairie County, Arkansas) and adjacent to a large contiguous block of forest currently owned by the Cache River NWR, and another owned by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC). This diverse tract of land consists of mature bottornland hardwood trees, moist-soil wetlands, an oxbow lake, and a field that will be reforested by the NWR. Additionally within the L WCRB a perpetual conservation-easement (bottornland hardwood forests, wetlands/swamp, & 23-acres/2.3 miles of and riverine wetlands) will be donated to the NWR. This proposal supports and contributes to many National, Regional, State, and local, long-term plans and efforts to acquire, conserve and restore wetland habitats to benefit migratory birds and other wetland dependent species in the LWCRB and LMV including the "Big Woods of Arkansas Initiative," goals and objectives of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, North American Landbird Conservation Plan, North American Waterbird Conservation Plan, United States Shorebird Conservation Plan, and American Woodcock Management Plan, Threatened and Endangered Species Recovery Plans, as well as the Arkansas Wildlife Action Plan, Arkansas Conservation Delivery Network. This proposal also supports Cache River NWR Comprehensive Conservation Plan and the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System as-well-as the Department of Interior, and the Gulf Coastal Plains and Ozarks LCC vision/goals for Landscape Conservation, goals of the Memorandum of Understanding/or Coordination ofLandscape & Watershed Scale Conservation Demonstration. Wetlands America Trust (WAT), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) are partners that have assisted with these efforts and are donating habitat enhancements, fee title and easements as match for this project. HABITAT TYPES AND WILDLIFE BENEFITTING: Implementation of this proposal will acquire, protect, enhance, restore, and actively manage forest habitats, emergent wetlands, scrub-shrub and riparian habitat, increase forest block size, decrease fragmentation, and enhance other wetland functions and values by reducing erosion, runoff, and sedimentation; restoring and enhancing natural hydrology and associated plant community types; and improving connectivity of aquatic and terrestrial habitats and associated fish and wildlife communities along this vital migratory corridor. Habitat acquired, protected, restored, or enhanced thorough this project will benefit five high priority waterfowl species (mallards, northern pintails, lesser and greater scaup, American black duck), five other priority waterfowl species (wood duck, ring-necked duck, American widgeon, redhead, and canvasback), and over 21 different waterfowl species in total. There are 37 NAWCA BCR 26 Mississippi Alluvial Valley priority bird species and 7 other wetland dependent bird species that are found in the LWCRB. Habitat created, acquired, protected, or enhanced from this project will benefit 10 federally listed species (ivory-billed woodpecker, interior least tern, piping plover, gray bat, Indiana bat, northern long-eared bat (proposed), fat pocketbook mussel, pink mucket, rabbitsfoot, and pondberry) found in the L WCRB. Numerous other species such as forest birds, shorebirds, wading birds, secretive marshbirds, bats, other mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and mussels will benefit directly from this grant.
PUBLIC BENEFITS/PUBLIC ACCESS: More than a hundred thousand people each year from all across America visit the Cache River NWR to hunt, fish, hike, bird watch, canoe/kayak, photograph wildlife, or to just reconnect with nature and enjoy the outdoor experience. Consumptive use, particularly waterfowl hunting, is the primary public use. Acquisition, restoration, and active management of flood plain habitat will provide year-round access to the public for fishing, hunting, hiking, exploring, wildlife observation, photography, and environmental education and interpretation for both the Cache River NWR and Wattensaw WMA. Wildlife and habitat benefits from this proposal will enhance the public's outdoor experience, benefit local economies, and gamer increased support for wildlife habitat conservation. Additionally, these benefits will extend to the Gulf of Mexico via the landscape connection between the L WCRB and the Gulf through the larger Mississippi River system.
NEW PARTNERS: The first new partner, the RiverOaks, Inc. (Canale family), has a vested personal interest in wetlands habitat on the Cache River NWR and L WCRB by donating a perpetual conservation easement that adjoins existing NWR property. Our second new partner, Operation Wounded Warrior Support, a nonprofit organization that provides emotional support and therapy for wounded combat veterans primarily from fellowship through the duck hunting experience, is providing $1,000 match in cash to assist in acquiring waterfowl/wetland habitats.
RELATIONSHIP TO PREVIOUSLY FUNDED NAWCA PROPOSALS: There have been several NAWCA grants awarded to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Ducks Unlimited, and the Cache RiverNWR (2005, 2011- White and Cache Rivers Wetlands Conservation Project I) within the LWCRB and other sections of Arkansas's LMV during the last 10 years. This grant, if awarded, will be the third phase of grants on the Cache River NWR for the purpose of strategic and cumulative land acquisition, habitat enhancement, restoration and management for the benefit of waterfowl, other wetland-dependent wildlife, and for present and future public use.
THREATS AND SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: The Cache River Basin, within the (LWCRB) has been highly altered and degraded from numerous factors, principally conversion of bottomland hardwood forests to agricultural cropland, changed physical topography and water flow pathways in the surrounding floodplain, altered physical hydrodynamics of the Cache River and Bayou De View, degraded water quality and quantity throughout the system, changed distribution and composition of remnant bottomland hardwood forests and aquatic communities, and discontinuity ofbottomland hardwood tracts and nutrient/energy flow. NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL SUMMARY Upper Iowa Prairie Pothole IV
COUNTY (JES), ST ATE(S), CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT(S): Buena Vista, Cerro Gordo, Cherokee, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Franklin, Hancock, Humboldt, Kossuth, O'Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Pocahontas, Winnebago, Worth and Wright County, Iowa; Congressional Districts: 1 and 4
GRANT AMOUNT $1,000,000 Allocation: Ducks Unlimited, Inc. $1,000,000
MATCHING PARTNERS $2,459,170 Grantee: Ducks Unlimited, Inc. $ 37,596 Clay County Conservation Board $1,024,000 Iowa Department of Natural Resources $ 932,500 Dickinson County Water Quality Commission $ 144,000 Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation $ 107,674 Dickinson County Conservation Board $ 86,000 Clay County Pheasants Forever $ 50,000 Linda and Mike Knudtson $ 34,000 Pocahontas County Conservation Board $ 30,000 Pocahontas County Pheasants Forever $ 5,000 Oneota Conservation Foundation $ 1,000 Greg Currell $ 1,000 Maser Family Foundation $ 1,000 Dickinson County Clean Water Alliance $ 2,400 Jarden Corp, Pure Fishing $ 3,000
GRANT AND MATCH - ACTIVITIES, COSTS, AND ACRES $3,459,170/ 1,370.8 (29.3) acres Fee Acquired $2,611,288/771.8 acres Restored $289,850/6(20.3) acres Enhanced $499,936/593(9) acres Grant Admin Costs $30,000 Indirect Costs $28,096
PROPOSAL PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION: This proposal represents the fourth phase of an ongoing partnership aimed at protecting, restoring and enhancing more than 1,370 acres of critical wetland and migratory bird habitat throughout Iowa's northern Prairie Pothole Region (PPR). This area is considered a "geographic priority wetlands area" and region of "continental significance to North American ducks, geese and swans" as part of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. The project partners have had significant success accomplishing grant deliverables under phases 1 through 3, with over 3,084 acres of prairie and wetland habitat conserved in northern Iowa. This proposal will build on the momentum developed through previous Phases of the project and confront the continued loss of wetland and grassland habitat. Specifically, our Phase IV proposal will: (1) continue the land protection efforts initiated by The Nature Conservancy, Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, County Conservation Board and other local partners within the Little Sioux River watershed in northwest Iowa; (2) restore high quality wetland complexes of formerly drained prairie pothole wetlands throughout Iowa's PPR area; and (3) continue Ducks Unlimited and the Iowa DNR's Living Lakes Initiative efforts to enhance critical waterfowl migration and breeding habitat on state owned Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) in northwest Iowa. Over $3.4 million of grant and partner match funds will be invested as part of Phase IV to protect critical migratory bird breeding and migration habitat on a number of different county and state lands. This unique public/private partnership brings together 15 diverse non-federal partners, including three active PPJV partners (See New Partners section below).
HABITAT TYPES AND WILDLIFE BENEFITTING: A diversity of habitat types will be restored (26.3 acres), enhanced (593 acres) and protected (771 acres) as a result of this project, including a variety of decreasing wetland types (466 acres), stable riverine and lacustrine wetlands (363 acres) and native tall grass prairie and oak savannas communities (541.7 acres). Approximately one-third of the wetland acres and nearly all of the prairie and savanna habitats contained in this project are considered decreasing types. The project will help compensate for the major loss of seasonal, temporary and semi- permanent wetlands. Many cornerstone wetlands that remain are often highly degraded due to altered hydrology, increased nutrient loading and the proliferation of exotic rough fish, such as common carp ( Cyprinus carpio) that have infested these systems. This project will help reverse those trends and will help recover large grassland/wetland complexes and functional landscapes within Iowa's PPJV Priority Areas to benefit priority waterfowl, shorebird, wading bird and other landbird species. Specifically, this proposal will provide critical breeding, foraging and migration habitat for 10 "high priority" (northern pintail, mallard, American black duck, lesser and greater scaup) and "other priority" (wood duck, redhead, canvasback, ring-necked duck, American wigeon) waterfowl species and provide direct and indirect benefits to several other NAWCA priority bird species found in Bird Conservation Region (BCR) 11. Five federally-listed threatened or endangered plant and animal species will also receive direct and indirect benefits including whooping cranes (endangered), Topeka shiners (endangered), piping plovers (threatened), prairie bush clover (threatened) and western prairie fringed orchid (threatened). The project will also benefit high-priority pollinator species such as monarch butterflies.
PUBLIC BENEFITS/PUBLIC ACCESS: All tracts protected, restored and enhanced in this proposal will be managed to optimize migratory bird habitat and maximize public recreational opportunities. County and state lands will be positively impacted and public access for hunting, hiking, bird-watching, photography, education and other compatible uses will be allowed. Also, the projects will improve water quality and flood protection for local and downstream residents as well as provide economic benefits via increased eco-tourism and other recreational opportunities.
NEW PARTNERS: This project includes eight new NAWCA partners: Maser Family Foundation, Oneota Conservation Foundation, Jarden Corporation-Pure Fishing, Clay County Pheasants Forever, Pocahontas County Pheasants Forever, Dickinson County Clean Water Alliance, Mike and Linda Knudtson, and Greg Currell.
RELATIONSHIP TO PREVIOUSLY FUNDED NAWCA PROPOSALS: Through Phase IV the project partners will build upon the 6 -year, multi-million dollar conservation plan for strategic habitat investments across north-central Iowa developed since 2009. Phases 1 -3 protected, restored and enhanced over 3,084 acres of wetlands and prairie habitat and Phase IV will add another 1,370.8 acres to these established wetland/grassland complexes. This proposal also compliments at least 17 other completed or ongoing standard NAWCA grants that have occurred in portions of the proposed project area. In three cases, Phase IV projects are adjacent to or enhance habitat that was acquired through earlier grants.
THREATS AND SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: Iowa's PPR is one of the most altered landscapes in all of North America, yet still provides some of the most continentally important breeding and migration habitat for migratory birds. Less than 0.5 % oflowa's original native tall grass prairie remains intact, and the region is faced with increasing habitat threats and challenges including high land values, expanding development, increased demand for agricultural land, deteriorating water quality and wetland conditions and a lack of adequate infrastructure to manage these threats effectively. NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL Border Prairie Wetlands IV
COUNTIES, STATES, CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS: Meeker, Kandiyohi, Stearns, Todd, Pope, Otter Tail, Mahnomen & Becker, Minnesota, Congressional Districts 6 &7.
GRANT AMOUNT $1,000,000 Allocation: Ducks Unlimited $161 , 142 Pheasants Forever $838,858
MATCHING PARTNERS $3,664,903 Grantee: Pheasants Forever $1,373,358 MN Outdoor Heritage Fund $1 ,243,800 Ducks Unlimited $ 866,745 Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources $ 160,000 Private $ 21,000 GRANT AND MATCH -ACTIVITIES, COSTS, AND ACRES $4,664,903/ l ,618 acres Fee Acquired $2,984,300/650.8 acres Easement Acquired $128,000/63 acres Enhanced $460,918/905 acres Other $44,822 Indirect Costs $46,863
PROPOSAL PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION: This proposal is to accelerate the protection and enhancement of prairie wetlands and associated wildlife in the Border Prairie portion of the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) in Minnesota (MN). Long-standing and new partners have come together to purchase, ease and enhance habitat crucial to waterfowl and a whole suite of additional species. Fee-title acquisitions of Waterfowl Production Areas (WPA) and Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) focus on strategic investments in habitat that build upon existing wetland complexes. A Ducks Unlimited easement protects significant wetland resources important to waterfowl (Lake Christina) and The Minnesota Board of Water & Soil Resources Re-Invest in Minnesota (RIM) easements target drained wetlands to restore permanently in order to produce water quality and wildlife benefits for the citizens of the state. With the passage of the Legacy Amendment in Minnesota in 2008, Pheasants Forever, the Outdoor Heritage Fund, MN DNR, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service have built programs to accelerate the protection of wetlands and grasslands. Additionally, Ducks Unlimited and MN BWSR have accelerated shallow lakes and easement programs. As this project area is home to many of the best waterfowl breeding densities in Eastern PPJV states, partners continue to build upon our best habitat complexes and enhance high quality breeding and migration habitats that are critical to the long-term health of waterfowl and the suite of species that dwell in wetland and prairie habitat. With mounting pressures on existing habitat, there is urgency to act quickly to protect remaining native communities and strategically protect & restore wetlands and prairies that have previously been converted.
HABITAT TYPES AND WILDLIFE BENEFITTING: The habitats focused on within this proposal are palustrine emergent wetlands and associated uplands. Breeding waterfowl are the primary beneficiary of this work. Both habitat types have seen tremendous conversion in the PPR of MN, and protecting remaining remnant prairies and wetlands is identified as priority in most plans. Partners continue to work on putting pieces of habitat back together in a functional way, so that the habitat complexes that do exist have abundant wildlife populations and serve the life cycles of as many species as possible. The MN PPR once produced millions of ducks, including mallard, teal, gadwalls, northern pintail, American wigeon, northern shoveler, canvasback, redhead, ruddy duck and other waterfowl and water-dependent birds. Most remaining tracts of intact prairie wetland complexes are located on federally-owned WP As and state WMAs along with some remnants on privately owned land. Some 75-90 percent of prairie wetland community types have been lost in the Prairie Pothole ecosystem in west-central MN.
PUBLIC BENEFITS/PUBLIC ACCESS: Every acre acquired in fee or easement in this proposal is being protected permanently. The fee-title is enrolled into the state Wildlife Management Area system or National Wildlife Refuge System as Waterfowl Production Areas. Each of these systems provides public access consistent with their mandates (wildlife). The enhancements funded are public waters that are accessible and will provide opportunities for the public to enjoy. Protection and enhancement actions provide various benefits to water quality, pollinator species, monarch butterfly, and quality oflife.
NEW PARTNERS: We are pleased to have the Idella Knutson Estate as a partner in wetlands conservation. This new NAWCA partner donation resulted in an addition to the Freese Waterfowl Production Area in Kandiyohi County, MN. It is refreshing to work with new partners who help make long-term wetlands conservation possible.
RELATIONSHIPS TO PREVIOUSLY FUNDED NAWCA PROPOSALS: This is the fourth phase of the Border Prairie Wetlands NAWCA partnership. Our collective work continues to use science and build upon successful past NAWCA proposals to continue the long-term vision of productive wetland and grassland complexes in the Border Prairie Wetlands project area. Additionally, several small NAWCA grants have been funded in this geography in recent years, and largely with the same partners who are engaged at the local, state and national level to further the cause of wetland and grassland conservation. Previous funded small NAWCA proposals found within the project area include but are not limited to: Whitney WPA Addition, Rabbit River Restoration, Litchfield WMD Enhancement, Big Kandi WP A Addition.
THREATS AND SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: Temperate grasslands are among the most converted and least protected biomes in the world according to the IUCN, and this proposal protects uplands. Doherty et al 2013 outlines that both wetland and grassland protection rates in the PP JV are not meeting with conversion rates in the PPJV. Pollinators are in steep decline and recently, the USFWS launched an initiative to save the monarch butterfly. Habitat loss and fragmentation in this geography continue to contribute to these issues and threats. Wetland and grassland habitat are under intense pressure for agriculture, gravel mining, and development. MN wetlands have increasingly been influenced by pollution, increased drainage (both output and input), increasing rough fish populations, and the live bait industry. Recent findings related to groundwater issues in the project area (e. g. the Bonanza Valley) have communities looking at irrigation regulation, siting, and permitting standards. Dramatic differences exist in the quality of existing wetland habitat related to quantity and quality of inputs into our wetlands. Protecting grasslands that have diversity and value to pollinators needs should help sustain species and grow our nation's food supply. NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL SUMMARY Platte River Wetlands Partnership Phase IV
COUNTY(IES), STATE(S), CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT(S): 6 counties, CO, Districts 2 and 4
GRANT AMOUNT $1 ,000,000 Allocation: Ducks Unlimited $1 ,000,000
MATCHING PARTNERS $3,797,749 Grantee: Ducks Unlimited $ 174,090 J. Robert Wilson $2,338,362 Bradley, Michelle, Allyn, and Lenore Wind $ 371 ,000 Colorado Open Lands $ 5,000 DT Ranch, Inc. $ 45,000 Mallard Land & Cattle $ 20,000 W eldona Acres, Inc. $ 10,145 Partners for Wildlife (USFWS) $ 103,077 David Kalmbach $ 6,275 Colorado Parks and Wildlife $ 399,800 South Platte Water Related Activities Program $ 325,000
GRANT & MATCH - ACTIVITIES, COSTS, & ACRES $ 4,797,749/3,303.7 acres Easements Acquired $ 3,445,952/ l ,800 acres Restored $ 1,040,505/ 777.8 acres Enhanced $ 241,395/ 725.9 acres Other $ 10,000 Indirect Costs $ 59,897
PROPOSAL PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION: This is the fourth phase of the Platte River Wetlands Partnership, which conserves wetlands and other habitats important to nonbreeding migratory bird populations in the South Platte River Basin of northeastern Colorado. Our activities will permanently protect 1,800 acres, restore and manage an additional 1,129 acres and enhance 374.7 acres to improve the functional quality of wetlands on private lands in the basin. Nearly all of these restored acres are found on State Wildlife Areas managed by the state as migratory bird habitat and hunting areas and are accessible to the public. Our proposal contains 16 projects aimed at improving the quantity, quality and availability of preferred habitats for the ducks, geese and other waterbirds that rely upon the Platte River as a stopover point on their migration to and from breeding grounds to the north. This proposal pays special attention to improving habitats on tracts accessible to the public found along the river.
HABITAT TYPES AND WILDLIFE BENEFITTING: The Platte River ecosystem - including shallow water wetlands, warm water sloughs and sandy, braided river channels in close proximity to productive agricultural land - provides critical roosting and foraging sites for millions of ducks, geese and other waterbirds on their seasonal migrations. We estimate that the work proposed here will provide as many as 2.4 million Duck Use Days per year in the region. Two million of these use-days are estimated to be enjoyed by mallards, a priority species at the local, regional and continental level. More than 76,000 use days are to be enjoyed by northern pintails, a waterfowl species of concern. Many other waterbirds benefit from these conservation activities. Management activities performed to benefit waterfowl also benefit sandhill cranes, many types of shorebirds and other wildlife species, like the many prairie fish that are found in the riverine habitats conserved here. PUBLIC BENEFITS/PUBLIC ACCESS: Seven of the sixteen tracts identified in this proposal are open to public access for waterfowl hunting and other wildlife-oriented recreation. This represents more than 1,000 acres ofrestored wetland, riverine and upland habitats available to the public as a result of these activities. All seven public tracts are located on lands owned and managed by Colorado Parks & Wildlife for wildlife habitat and hunting. Restoration of habitats and managing for bird abundance on these tracts is extremely important to the maintenance of the waterfowling tradition in the state of Colorado. The majority of waterfowl hunters in the state utilize the South Platte Basin as their principal waterfowling destination. Most of those hunters use public areas like those conserved here as their only or their favored spot to hunt ducks and geese. This proposal responds to a call from the waterfowling public to address perceived shifts in waterfowl distribution away from riverine-associated habitats. We are convinced that this will continue to aide in the effort to retain and recruit active supporters of migratory bird and wetland conservation
NEW PARTNERS: The proposal includes five new partners who have never before participated in any of the previous five Standard NAWCA awards in the region; these new partners are providing more than 72% of the total match for the planned work. Six of the eleven partners are private landowners, two of which are 10% partners. Landowners in this proposal encompass the privately-owned duck clubs traditionally found along the river, active agricultural producers next to important wetland complexes, and, importantly, an individual who conserved his property located in the heart of development along the Front Range. What all of these individuals share is a desire to maintain the resource base that allows migratory bird populations to persist in the Platte basin. Another important aspect of this partnership is the contribution of the South Platte Water Related Activities Program (SPWRAP), an organization formed to implement Colorado's obligations under the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program in central Nebraska. In Colorado, this work has centered on the development of augmentation facilities that recharge the Platte's alluvial aquifer, replenishing river flow for the benefit of downstream threatened and endangered species. The contribution SPWRAP is making to restore river channel function on the Tamarack SWA represents a change in the range of projects they consider funding. It is our hope that this new initiative will herald an increasing interest in river health in the state.
RELATIONSHIP TO PREVIOUSLY FUNDED NAWCA PROPOSALS: This is the fourth phase of the Platte River Wetlands Partnership, which has protected and enhanced the habitat value of the wetlands associated with the Platte River in Colorado and Wyoming since 2008. Through the current proposal, partners will protect an additional 1,800 acres of high quality wetland habitats and associated uplands, bringing the cumulative total of the four phases to 11,453acres. The cumulative number of acres impacted by these activities will be 9,090 acres. When combined with Ducks Unlimited's previous 2-phased award, which began in 2001 and focused on the lower stretch of the South Platte River, Standard NAWCA grants will have impacted more than 37,537 acres in the area recognized by all four national bird conservation plans as a high-priority area. While it is difficult to ascribe migrating bird abundance in any given year to on-the-ground habitat improvements, mid-winter count data of mallards indicates, on average, 36,000 more birds per year in the most recent ten years (when we have been active conserving habitats) versus the previous ten years.
THREATS AND SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: The principal threat that drives the work of the partnership is the accelerated appropriation of water away from the agricultural and wildlife-oriented use that originally established the South Platte Basin as an important migratory stopover site. Our partnership has worked diligently in past proposals and in this effort to secure as much water supply as possible to allow important habitats to persist and function as foraging and roosting sites for targeted bird populations. Continued population growth, administrative changes in water law and a burgeoning fracking-based petroleum industry in the heart of the basin have all increased the difficulty of this effort. NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL SUMMARY Sansavilla Phase 1 - Georgia
COUNTY, STATE, CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: Wayne, Georgia, One
GRANT AMOUNT $1,000,000 Allocation: Georgia DNR $1,000,000
MATCHING PARTNERS $4,022,175 Grantee: Georgia DNR $3,439,600 The Conservation Fund $ 100,000 The Nature Conservancy $ 182,575 Knobloch Foundation $ 200,000 USMCREPI $ 100,000
GRANT AND MATCH - ACTIVITIES, COSTS, AND ACRES $5,022,175/3,319 acres TNC Carr's Island $ 82,575/307 acres
PROPOSAL PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION: This project will protect 3,012 acres of the Sansavilla tract through fee acquisition to benefit breeding, migrating, and wintering birds within the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture (ACJV) and South Atlantic Migratory Bird Initiative (SAMBI) Project Area. The entire Sansavilla tract will be acquired in phases. The Sansavilla Phase 1 tract contains 2,038 acres that will be acquired using grant and match funding. This tract is in the Ocmulgee-Oconee-Altamaha Focus Area of the ACJV and addresses specific wintering, migrating, and breeding goals for waterfowl in the Atlantic Flyway as detailed in the North American Waterfowl Management Plan and the ACJV's Waterfowl Implementation Plan. This tract is part of and protects key features of the Altamaha River Basin, recognized as a Western Hemispheric Shorebird Reserve Network site and an Important Bird Area by both Audubon Society and American Bird Conservancy. Conservation of bottomland forests in the Altamaha River Corridor, as identified in the PIF Bird Conservation Plan for the South Atlantic Coastal Plain, is critical to meeting objectives for numerous priority species ofland birds, shorebirds, and wading birds. This project complements seven previous NAWCA projects in the Altamaha watershed - South Atlantic Migratory Bird Initiative Habitat Conservation Project, Altamaha River Habitat Conservation Project, Penholoway Swamp, Clayhole Swamp, Barrington Tract, Phases I and II Rayonier Murff Tracts, and Boyles Island Habitat Conservation Projects, - and an additional NAWCA project in the SAMBI area - Chickasawhatchee Swamp Habitat Conservation Project. This project also contributes to the network of protected habitats in the Altamaha floodplain, now more than 164,000 acres.
HABITAT TYPES AND WILDLIFE BENEFITTING: The Sansavilla Phase 1 tract (3,012 acres of fee acquisition) will protect the following habitat types: palustrine forested wetlands (1400.5 acres), palustrine shrub wetlands (2.0 acres), palustrine emergent (108.4 acres), open freshwater palustrine (0.6 acres), open freshwater riverine (19.9 acres) and 1480.6 acres of uplands. Intact upland communities found on Sansavilla Phase 1 Tract include mature upland longleaf pine woodland (24 acres), mesic slope forest and bluff (82 acres), and oak dome and hammock (70 acres). These natural habitats are rare on the Georgia coast and contribute significant biological diversity to the site. In addition to the 3012 acres of Sansavilla, Carr's Island consists of 142.5 acres of palustrine forested wetland, and 164.4 acres of palustrine emergent wetland. A former rice plantation impoundment with still-functioning dikes and canals on 142.5 acres, the habitat's on Carr's are especially important due to its location adjacent to Butler and Champney Islands, two of the primary waterfowl portions of the Altamaha Waterfowl Management Area. In addition to adding substantial biodiversity and topographic diversity, the upland habitats provide valuable buffer for the adjacent wetlands. Also important is the elimination of forestry practices that negatively affect hydrology and will greatly benefit the wetlands of Sansavilla, recreating gradual surface water percolation and seepage to support longer hydroperiods.
The project directly provides suitable breeding and wintering habitat for 4 priority species of waterfowl and indirectly benefits an additional 12 waterfowl species. Many priority species of wading birds, shorebirds, and landbirds will benefit as well. Although too numerous to list all, examples of priority species benefiting from this project include American black duck, mallard, wood duck, little blue heron, wood stork, swallow-tailed kite, Swainson's warbler, prothonotary warbler, rusty blackbird, and Henslow's sparrow. In addition, this project would contribute to conservation of at least 17 federally or state-listed endangered, threatened, or special concern species. Swallow-tailed kites perennially nest in the Altamaha drainage, and protection of such traditional nesting areas for this highly social and site-loyal species is critical. The lower Altamaha River watershed is home to over 100 rare plants and animals such as Radford's mint and hairy rattleweed, both found nowhere else in the world.
PUBLIC BENEFITS/PUBLIC ACCESS: This acquisition will substantially increase the public benefits through increased access and active management and protection. Since the majority of the uplands have been managed for timber, and our lease does not allow us to manage for unique habitat, we anticipate significant benefits to public access. Specifically, restoration of natural longleaf pine uplands will enhance public visitation, recreational trails will be added and enhanced through quality of natural habitat, and wildlife diversity will substantially increase providing more opportunities for birding and wildlife watching. Public benefits also include protection of water quality in the Altamaha watershed, and protection of the important habitats at the mouth of the Altamaha. The state also owns a popular Altamaha boat ramp that is completely enclosed by Phase 1. State ownership of Phase 1 will allow for any necessary improvements or amenities needed for increased traffic.
NEW PARTNERS: None.
RELATIONSHIP TO PREVIOUSLY FUNDED NAWCA PROPOSALS: GA DNR has received seven NAWCA grants to protect critical habitat along the Altamaha River. Acquisition of Sansavilla Phase 1 will help tie together all the lands acquired through these grants. Sansavilla Phase 1 lies between Penholoway Swamp and Clayhole Swamp (each acquired through NAWCA) and is across the river from Townsend Rayonier-Murff Tracts Phases I and II (also acquired through NAWCA grants). Another tract to receive NAWCA grants within this conservation landscape was Boyles Island (just above Penholoway).
THREATS AND SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: The Sansavilla Phase 1 tract is currently owned by The Conservation Fund (TCF) and managed for production of forest products. The bottomlands include mature swamp forests and hardwood regeneration areas. In recent years, ownership of Georgia's forestland has undergone a dramatic shift from traditional corporate ownership to ownership by Timber Investment Management Organizations or other investment owners. For example, International Paper Company has sold all of their extensive holdings throughout Georgia. Given the dynamic nature of the forest products industry in Georgia and the southeast, divestiture of forest lands will continue with increased possibilities for development for vacation homes. TCF acquired this tract with the intention of selling it to GA DNR. They have taken on a tremendous amount of financial risk to acquire it and borrowed more than $40 million for the full acquisition, which is more than 19,500 acres. TCF is giving GA DNR an opportunity to acquire this tract in phases. However, if GA DNR is unable to purchase the property, TCF will be forced to sell it to pay off the borrowed money. If Sansavilla is sold, it will likely be subdivided into smaller sections for recreation and timber purposes, and it is certain the protective measures followed by TCF would not continue. NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL SUMMARY Mukwonago-Fox Focus Area II, WI
COUNTY(IES), ST ATE(S), CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT(S): Kenosha, Milwaukee, Racine, Walworth, and Waukesha Counties; Wisconsin; Congressional Districts 1 and 5
GRANT AMOUNT $1,000,000 Allocation: Ducks Unlimited $950,000 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service $ 50,000
MATCHING PARTNERS $2,686,722 Grantee: Ducks Unlimited Inc. $ 5,795 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources $1 ,834,530 City of Muskego $ 83,397 Big Muskego Lake/Bass Bay Protection and Rehabilitation District $ 25,000 Popp Family $ 248,000 The Nature Conservancy $ 390,000 Waukesha County Land Conservancy $ 100,000
GRANT AND MATCH -ACTIVITIES, COSTS, AND ACRES $3,686,722/2,435 (2,352) acres Fee Acquired $2,980,586/ l ,836 acres Easements Acquired $250,000/62 acres Restored $175,647/86 (150) acres Enhanced $212,750/451 (2,202) acres Other $50,000 Indirect Costs $17,739
PROPOSAL PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION: Proposal objectives are to protect, restore, and enhance 2,435 (2,352) of critical wetland and riparian habitat and adjacent uplands within the Mukwonago and Fox River watersheds to ensure long-term conservation of these ecosystems and their associated fish and wildlife. Conservation efforts will target crucial breeding and migration habitat for waterfowl, shorebirds, colonial waterbirds, and migratory songbirds. The project goal is to protect 1,898 acres including 1,581 acres of wetlands, 317 acres of associated uplands, and 25,080 feet (4.75 miles) ofriver frontage. The project will restore 86 (150) acres and enhance another 451 (2,202) acres of wetlands and associated uplands.
HABIT AT TYPES AND WILDLIFE BENEFITTING: A variety of habitat types will be addressed through this proposal, including 2,049 (2,325) acres of decreasing status wetland types, primarily palustrine emergent, shrub, and forested wetlands. Protection, restoration, and enhancement of these lands will directly benefit wetland and grassland species to include: breeding habitat for waterfowl species such as mallard, American black duck, northern pintail, wood duck, and ring-necked duck; foraging, nesting, and migratory stop-over habitat for many species of shorebirds, waterfowl, and waterbirds such as American bittern, northern harrier, American woodcock, black tern, black-billed cuckoo, Acadian flycatcher, willow flycatcher, sedge wren, marsh wren, cerulean warbler, redhead, and northern pintail; nesting habitat for grassland bird species of concern such as sedge wren, dickcissel, eastern meadowlark, and grasshopper sparrow. The project also will provide potential breeding and migration habitat for whooping cranes. The project will positively affect 33 state threatened and endangered species through wetland and upland habitat acquisition, enhancement and management. In addition, proposed work will improve and protect surface and ground water quality, mitigate flooding, and expand public recreational opportunities, thereby stimulating local economies.
PUBLIC BENEFITS/PUBLIC ACCESS: Phase II of this initiative will address recent objectives added to I the North American Waterfowl Management Plan and provide public access to over 1,800 acres for nature based outdoor recreation including hiking, hunting, trapping, fishing, snowshoeing, wildlife observation, and canoeing/kayaking. Through this proposal, the public will realize the benefits that healthy ecosystems provide while the habitat conserved will provide critical breeding and migration areas for waterfowl, waterbirds and other grassland nesting birds. Beautiful habitats teaming with guilds of endemic birds attract tourists. Ethical and conscientious bird and wildlife watching activities should also increase.
NEW PARTNERS: Two new partners (Big Muskego Lake District and the Popp Family) along with five other experienced NAWCA partners collaborated to bring forth this proposal.
RELATIONSHIP TO PREVIOUSLY FUNDED NAWCA PROPOSALS: This proposal is the second phase of a larger, multi-phase initiative to protect, restore and enhance key lands within the Mukwonago and Fox River watersheds. This proposal also provides a critical linkage to two previous landscape scale NAWCA initiatives and one future initiative. The proposal area is nestled between and slightly overlaps parts of South East Wisconsin Coastal Phase 5, South Central Wisconsin Pothole habitat Initiative Phase 5 and a Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Small NAWCA.
THREATS AND SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: The Mukwonago-Fox Focus Area is located adjacent to greater Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which is one of the fastest growing regions of the state. The area is experiencing rapid urban development and negatively impacting wetland and associated upland ecosystems. The pressures of urban sprawl, especially on land around lakes and wetlands, make it critical that habitat conservation be completed before the opportunity is lost. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, The Nature Conservancy, Ducks Unlimited, and Waukesha County Land Conservancy have active land acquisition and management programs in the area and are committed to the protection of the Mukwonago and Fox River watershed. The tracts proposed for acquisition as part of this proposal are specifically threatened by residential development. Protecting this existing resource now will be economical compared to restoring it once development has occurred. NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL SUMMARY Rappahannock River Conservation Partnership Phase I
COUNTY(IES), ST ATE(S), CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT(S): 29 counties, VA, Districts, 1, 3 & 4
GRANT AMOUNT $750,000 Allocation: VOF $750,000
MATCHING PARTNERS $3,813,500 Virginia Outdoors Foundation: $2,500,000 Friends of Refuge $ 1,000 Ducks Unlimited $ 1,500 Trust for Public Land $ 38,000 The Nature Conservancy $ 1,000 Fort AP Hill (DOD, REPI) $1,272,000
GRANT AND MATCH - ACTIVITIES, COSTS, AND ACRES $4,563,500/3,888 acres Easement Acquired $2,048,344 /488 acres Easement Donated $2,515,000/3,400 acres Indirect $156
PROPOSAL PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION: This proposal represents the first of several project phases to permanently protect strategic coastal properties, consisting of diverse wetland and upland habitats in the project area, which is defined as the entire coastal zone of Virginia, spanning 29 counties and 19 independent cities. Specifically, this proposal seeks to secure 3,888 acres of perpetual conservation easements on strategic properties situated along the Rappahannock River, within the Rappahannock River National Wildlife Refuge expansion. This project, which will advance adaptation and resilience in the face of climate change, is located in the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture's (ACJV) Rappahannock River Waterfowl Focus Area, as well as a RAMSAR wetland of international importance and significantly contributes to the goals of the national and regional bird conservation plans.
The Rappahannock River Conservation Partnership I will protect the 488 acre Davis Farm tract, and 279 acres of associated forested upland habitat to benefit breeding, migrating and wintering birds following the conservation recommendations and goals of the ACJV and the North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI, BCR 30).
The other match tract in the project, Rappahannock River Farm, will protect 256 acres of declining wetlands, 652 acres of estuarine wetlands, and 2,492 acres of upland. Of that total, 720 acres are in agricultural fields (a portion of which are maintained as wildlife food plots) and the remaining 1,772 acres are forested uplands (mixed hardwoods and pine forest).
HABITAT TYPES AND WILDLIFE BENEFITTING: A significant stretch of the Rappahannock River, (30 miles), is within the Refuge authorized acquisition boundary, and contains an area recognized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) for its bald eagle concentrations, which are some of the highest densities on the East Coast. The creeks, bluffs, marshes, and meanders of the Rappahannock River combine to make one of the most attractive locations for breeding eagles in the Chesapeake region. The National Audubon Society has recognized the Lower Rappahannock River as a globally Important Bird Area, and the ACJV recognizes the area as a high conservation priority. But, many other migratory bird species use the wetlands including: Louisiana waterthrush, ovenbird, prothonotary warbler, Kentucky warbler, worm-eating warbler, yellow-throated vireo, wood thrush, scarlet tanager, chuck-will's widow, and whip-poor-will, all of which are confirmed breeders on the refuge.
The Rappahannock River and its tidal tributaries also provide important spawning and nursery area for anadromous fish species, including striped bass, American shad, hickory shad, blueback herring, alewife and Atlantic sturgeon. Atlantic sturgeon is a federally listed endangered species. A federally-listed shortnose sturgeon was captured near the mouth of the Rappahannock River in 1997. River herring, blueback herring, and alewife, are listed by the National Marine Fisheries Service as a species of concern under the Endangered Species Act.
PUBLIC BENEFITS/PUBLIC ACCESS: The public will benefit two fold from this proposal, primarily through ecologically sensitive areas being conserved in perpetuity and secondly from having the Virginia Outdoors Foundation steward the grant and match tracts. Acquisition under this proposal offers excellent public access opportunities including bird watching, nature photography, kayaking, and canoeing. In addition to protecting the River's scenic view shed from development, project tracts provide habitat for one of the East Coast's largest bald eagle populations. The Rappahannock River is also rich in cultural and historical resource as it contains the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail.
NEW PARTNERS: The Rappahannock Land Protection Partnership was awarded a Cooperative Conservation Award in 2009 by Department of Interior in recognition of the long-standing commitments of partners in this project area. In addition to the partners who have contributed financially to this proposal, there are others who have played a role in this and many other land protection transactions. These include the Virginia Outdoors Foundation (VOF) which holds easements on thousands of acres within the project area. The Trust for Public Land (TPL) and The Nature Conservancy have been partners since the refuge was first proposed, assisting with acquisitions and temporarily holding lands for re-sale to the refuge. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation received two previous NAWCA grants, resulting in donations of over 1,300 acres to the refuge. The Northern Neck Land Conservancy and the Essex County Countryside Alliance also support the refuge and the land protection partnership through landowner education and outreach within the project area. The Virginia Departments of Game and Inland Fisheries and Conservation and Recreation are also long-standing partners in land protection, management, and wetland restoration in the project area. Department of Defense's Fort AP. Hill became a formal partner in 2006 with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding among standing Rappahannock partners.
RELATIONSHIP TO PREVIOUSLY FUNDED NAWCA PROPOSALS: This project builds on solid partnerships and extraordinary conservation gains completed during previously funded NAWCA proposals including: Lower Rappahannock River Phase I, II, III, and IV. By utilizing a combination of NAWCA funds and partner match, the Rappahannock partnership has perpetually protected a total of 6,532 acres via the first four NAWCA funded phases of this project.
THREATS AND SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: There are both threats and special circumstances surrounding this proposal. Development is a real and present threat for the proposed grant and match tract. The owner of the Davis tract is in negotiation with the VOF and TPL to place an easement on the tract but also has a back-up "development plan" if the partnership cannot obtain funds to purchase the property. If NAWCA funds are not awarded the land owner will aggressively pursue development of the property. NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT PROPOSAL SUMMARY South Carolina Wetlands Landscape IV
COUNTIES, STATES, CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS: Berkeley (1 & 6), Charleston (1 & 6), Colleton (6) South Carolina
GRANT AMOUNT $1,000,000 Allocation: Ducks Unlimited, Inc. (DU) $1,000,000
MATCHING PARTNERS $2,018,985 Live Oak Plantation $ 70,775 Paul & Dalton Plantation $ 617,063 South Carolina Department of Natural Resources $ 100,475 Wetlands America Trust (MCP) $1,230,672
GRANT AND MATCH - ACTIVITIES, COSTS AND ACRES $3,018,985/ l,458 acres Enhanced $ l ,710,654/1,458 acres Other Direct (MCP) $ 1,230,672 Indirect Costs $ 77,659
PROPOSAL PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION: This South Carolina Wetlands Landscape IV (SCWL IV) proposal is a continuance of the sustained landscape-level approach to planning and implementing conservation projects on private and public lands within the Ducks Unlimited (DU) South Carolina Lowcountry Project (SCLCP) priority areas. DU established the SCLCP more than 20 years ago to curtail the loss of important wetland habitat. Since then, DU and SCLCP partners collaborated to protect, restore and enhance over 500,000 acres of wetland and upland habitats within defined focus areas on federal, state, non-profit and private lands protected by conservation easements. The perpetual protection of large, undeveloped, privately owned upland and wetland ecosystems benefits waterfowl, wading birds, shorebirds, songbirds and other native species while preserving the natural landscapes and the outdoor heritage associated with the Lowcountry way of life. This nationally recognized wetlands conservation effort spans 3 million acres and 14 coastal counties in cooperation with the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) Atlantic Coast Joint Venture (ACJV). The ACJV Management Board adopted the South Atlantic Migratory Bird Initiative (SAMBI) in 1999 to ensure integrated bird conservation planning and implementation within the JV. The SAME! Implementation Plan 2006 provides a regional scale framework for the conservation of waterfowl, shorebirds, waterbirds, landbirds and upland game birds using existing national and regional plans. Each state in the ACJV has developed discreet focus areas for waterfowl, shorebirds, waterbirds and landbirds through SAMBI. Six focus areas are defined in South Carolina. This proposal seeks to protect and enhance palustrine emergent and forested wetlands, tidal and non-tidal freshwater and intermediate marsh, open water and associated uplands in the South Carolina Lowcountry within to SAMBI focus areas. SCWL IV brings together 5 partners including one state government agencies (SC Department of Natural Resources), a federal agency (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), a non-profit organization (Wetlands America Trust) and 2 private landowners to accomplish wetland protection and enhancement projects across 1,458 acres in support of the ACJV goals and objectives in the ACE Basin and CAWS Focus Areas.
HABIT AT TYPES AND WILDLIFE BENEFITTING: This project will enhance 1,458 acres of diverse wildlife habitat in the CAWS and ACE Basin Focus. Upon completion, this project will provide increased foraging capacity and important habitat for pair isolation, thermal refuge and roosting for 6 NAWCA High Priority waterfowl species, 5 NAWCA Other Priority waterfowl species and 7 other species of waterfowl. At least 10 NAWCA Priority Species of wetland-dependent migratory birds from BCR 27 will benefit from increased foraging, nesting or roosting habitat in emergent and forested wetlands and 0.82 miles of riparian areas. Several other wetland-dependent or wetland associated species will also benefit directly, including 13 federally listed, threatened or candidate species and 5 state-listed endangered or species of concern.
PUBLIC BENEFITS/PUBLIC ACCESS: A portion of this proposal will become a component of the Bonneau Ferry WMA, which is managed for migratory birds, threatened and endangered species habitat and for wildlife viewing, paddling, nature-based recreation, research and education commensurate with habitat conservation efforts. Other portions are in the vicinity of a National Wildlife Refuge or Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, which are publicly accessible along with the state-owned waters and marshes. Migratory birds use suitable habitat on public and private tracts in the vicinity of the proposed areas, and will increase the quality of the waterfowl hunting experiences and provide more acres of managed wetlands
NEW PARTNERS: This proposal features two new NAWCA partners including private landowners (Dr. David Baird and Wells Whaley) who are providing a I: I match to NAWCA funds to implement the enhancement projects on their easement tracts.
RELATION SHIP TO PREVIOUSLY FUNDED NAWCA PROPOSALS: This project will complement a growing protected landscape where substantial federal investments have created and expanded public ownership, private protection, enhancement, restoration and habitat management throughout the SC Lowcountry. For the past decade, a unique partnership of state, federal, non-profit and private partners have combined private and public funds under the recommendations of the ACJV's SAMBI to implement a series of wetlands protection, restoration and enhancement projects across 6 focus areas in SC. This partnership, recognized by SAMBI as the South Carolina Working Group, was recently awarded the North American Migratory Bird Joint Venture Conservation Champion Award for Regional partnership to honor its dedication to the conservation of birds and critically important bird habitats. The South Carolina Working Group has been successful in conserving over 407,000 acres of critical habitat contributing to the goals of the ACJV and SAMBI in SC through proposals that DU and partners achieved through NAWCA. The current proposal utilizes the aforementioned partnerships to conserve critical wetland habitats on grant and match tracts in order to build off of the successes of 25 prior NAWCA standard grants that have protected, restored and enhanced critically important habitat across the SC Lowcountry to further landscape scale conservation efforts.
THREATS AND SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: The proposed enhancement work is urgent and necessary to ensure these managed wetlands function properly to provide seasonal water for early fall waterfowl, wading bird and shorebird migrants, support colonial nesting waterbirds, protect breeding eagles and other raptors and reverse the deterioration of these emergent and forested wetlands. Two willing landowners stand ready to match the grant funds for the enhancement projects, and have already demonstrated their commitment to conservation and habitat management by placing conservation easements on the proposed tracts.