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NATURAL HERITAGE GRANTS ANNOUNCED LANSING--The Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Natural Heritage Program has approved 32 small grants,
totaling nearly $200,000, to enhance nongame, threatened and
endangered species in Michigan. Recipients range from
universities to conservation organizations, municipalities
and schools.
Grants awarded this year support a wide variety of projects
that involve research, education and management of nongame
species. Examples include breeding biology and management of
the Great Lakes piping plover population, interpretive signs
for the Mackinac Bay Nature Preserve, understanding
landowner behavior in endangered species recovery, habitat
use and distribution of over-wintering short-eared owls in
Michigan, assessing declines in northern flying squirrels
populations, wildlife interpretation in an urban natural
area and raising Michiganders' awareness of their native
frogs.
These grants are supported by the Nongame Fish and Wildlife
Fund. The Fund receives revenues from the sales of the
wildlife conservation license plate and private donations.
"Through the grant program, citizens who contribute to this
Fund can see the benefits in their own communities," said
Natural Heritage Program Coordinator Ray Rustem. "Since the
grant program was initiated, projects have been funded in
all 83 counties."
The list of approved projects is available on the DNR Web
site at www.michigandnr.com.
Anyone interested in learning more about the Nongame Fish
and Wildlife Fund can receive a free copy of The Spotting
Scope newsletter by sending a postcard to Natural Heritage
Program, Wildlife Division, Box 30180, Lansing, MI 48909.
Source: MDNR
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