USDA announces grants for voluntary public access
August 17, 2015 |04:43 PM
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced $20 million in grants to 15 state agencies to improve wildlife habitat and public access to recreational opportunities on privately-owned and operated farm, ranch and forest lands.
The projects are being funded under the Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP).
“Our partnerships with state governments will help them work with interested landowners to enhance hunting and fishing and other wildlife-dependent recreation, to enhance wildlife habitat, and to protect wildlife species and encourage new opportunities for local businesses,” Vilsack said.
“These projects are excellent examples of USDA’s successful efforts to connect public and private partners for long-term conservation gains that benefit sportsmen, wildlife, private land owners, and the public.”
The selected state governments will encourage owners and operators of privately held farm, ranch or forest land to open their land for wildlife-dependent recreation and to improve fish and wildlife habitat on that land, USDA said.
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service awarded grants for projects in Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
In a news release, USDA noted that the projects include:
Massachusetts — The state’s Mohawk Trail Woodland Community Habitat Program will use a grant of approximately $836,500 to build on an existing Regional Conservation Partnership Program to create wildlife habitat in a 28-town region in western Massachusetts. The state will create and improve opportunities to ensure all citizens, including low-income residents, can enjoy hunting, fishing and wildlife-watching on about 10,000 acres of private forestland.
Nebraska — The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will use a $1.35 million grant to expand efforts to open private land to hunting, fishing, and other compatible public recreation activities. The grant will enable new access to up to 260,000 land acres, 400 new surface acres, and 55 new miles of streams and rivers for hunting or fishing.
Washington — The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife will use a grant of about $1.4 million to expand access on up to 60,000 acres of upland bird hunting in the Southeast Washington, up to 10,000 acres of deer and turkey hunting access Northeast Washington and Klickitat County, and deer hunting access on sites near the Puget Sound urban center on small ownerships. They will also focus on waterfowl hunting access on sites near the Puget Sound urban center and encourage practices that provide food to birds wintering in the region.
The projects are being funded under the Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP).
“Our partnerships with state governments will help them work with interested landowners to enhance hunting and fishing and other wildlife-dependent recreation, to enhance wildlife habitat, and to protect wildlife species and encourage new opportunities for local businesses,” Vilsack said.
“These projects are excellent examples of USDA’s successful efforts to connect public and private partners for long-term conservation gains that benefit sportsmen, wildlife, private land owners, and the public.”
The selected state governments will encourage owners and operators of privately held farm, ranch or forest land to open their land for wildlife-dependent recreation and to improve fish and wildlife habitat on that land, USDA said.
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service awarded grants for projects in Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
In a news release, USDA noted that the projects include:
Massachusetts — The state’s Mohawk Trail Woodland Community Habitat Program will use a grant of approximately $836,500 to build on an existing Regional Conservation Partnership Program to create wildlife habitat in a 28-town region in western Massachusetts. The state will create and improve opportunities to ensure all citizens, including low-income residents, can enjoy hunting, fishing and wildlife-watching on about 10,000 acres of private forestland.
Nebraska — The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will use a $1.35 million grant to expand efforts to open private land to hunting, fishing, and other compatible public recreation activities. The grant will enable new access to up to 260,000 land acres, 400 new surface acres, and 55 new miles of streams and rivers for hunting or fishing.
Washington — The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife will use a grant of about $1.4 million to expand access on up to 60,000 acres of upland bird hunting in the Southeast Washington, up to 10,000 acres of deer and turkey hunting access Northeast Washington and Klickitat County, and deer hunting access on sites near the Puget Sound urban center on small ownerships. They will also focus on waterfowl hunting access on sites near the Puget Sound urban center and encourage practices that provide food to birds wintering in the region.
