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***U.S. Department of the Interior Announces Wildlife Conservation
Grants***

Washington, D.C., September 2, 2004 --- Secretary of the Interior Gale
Norton announced the awarding of \$16 million in grants to conserve
imperiled wildlife in 42 states. The grants are part of a cost-share
conservation program for private landowners and Native American tribes.
Overall, the grants will support 150 projects to conserve species that
are threatened, endangered, and at-risk across the country. A complete
summary of the grants, including amounts and awardees, can be found
online at <http://www.doi.gov/cci/grants.html>. More than \$2.4 million
of the grants awarded support private efforts to control invasive
species, one of the most serious threats to many ecosystems and their
wildlife.

"Invasive species are the second leading cause---after habitat loss---of
species being listed as endangered or threatened, and infest more than
100 million acres across the United States," said Lori Williams,
executive director of the NISC. "The Department of Interior is a key
partner on invasive species issues and a co-chair of NISC," said
Williams. "NISC applauds cooperative efforts like the DOI grant program
because it is by working together we can achieve lasting success."

Some examples of invasive species-related projects awarded grants
include:

-   **Number range CHAPTERWiliWili Dryland Forest Restoration Number
    range CHAPTERat Pu'U-O-Kali Lava Flows -** Number range
    CHAPTER**Maui County, Hawaii - Number range CHAPTER**Number range
    CHAPTERTo completely eliminate all remaining ungulates within the
    existing 236-acre parcel, propagate and outplant 6 endangered native
    plant species, and control selective invasive species in Pu'u-o-kali
    WiliWili dryland forest.

-   **Number range CHAPTERCanadian River Floodplain Restoration, Four
    Canyon Preserve -**Number range CHAPTER **Ellis County, Oklahoma -**
    To control saltcedar and Eastern redcedar infestation on 300 acres
    of the Canadian River floodplain at The Nature Conservancy's Four
    Canyon Preserve using prescribed fire, mechanical removal, and
    herbicide treatments.

-   **Alamosa Creek Riparian Restoration -** Number range
    CHAPTER**Socorro County, New Mexico -** To restore 40 acres of
    riparian habitat of Alamosa Creek by removal of non-native invasive
    plants (saltcedar) to protect habitat for the endangered Alamosa
    springsnail, threatened Chiricahua leopard frog and others.

-   **Missouri Prairie Habitat Revitalization - Number range
    CHAPTERBarton, Vernon, St. Clair, Dade and Callaway Counties,
    Missouri -** To enhance and restore habitat on Golden Prairie, a
    National Natural Landmark. The Missouri Prairie Foundation will
    remove invasive species on newly acquired property and will
    implement a patch-burn grazing regime to restore ecological function
    of the rolling prairie.

-   **Control of Invasive Honeysuckle to Protect and Improve Habitat for
    Endangered Species - Number range CHAPTERIowa County, Iowa-** Exotic
    honeysuckle will be controlled in areas where it exhibits vigorous
    growth and dominates the understory vegetation. The expected results
    will be an opportunity for native species, including running pine
    and woodland horsetail, to reestablish and increase in population in
    the target area.

-MORE-

-   **Bog turtle habitat restoration project -- Lebanon and Berks
    Counties, Pennsylvania --** To restore and maintain the habitat of
    the bog turtle at two sites, Strack's Dam wetland and Muhlenberg
    wetland. Both sites will use cattle as a management technique for
    invasive vegetation control and to improve the habitat.

-   **Wetland restoration at Beeslick Pond and Benton Hill Fen preserves
    -- Litchfield County, Connecticut --** To control invasive species
    at two separate wetlands in Connecticut. Control efforts will
    include herbicide applications to invasive plants and, at Benton
    Hill Fen only, mechanical control through mowing of adjacent early
    successional habitat. This project will help maintain Connecticut's
    small bog turtle population.

Under the Private Stewardship Grant program, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service in DOI will award \$7 million in grants to support 97 projects
undertaken by private landowners and groups in 39 states. The recipients
of the grants must contribute at least a 10 percent match in non-federal
dollars or in-kind contributions. Under the Tribal Landowner Incentive
program, the Service is awarding \$3 million to federally-recognized
Indian tribes to help fund 25 projects. Contributions from tribes and
other partners raise the total value of these projects to \$4.4 million.
The grants were chosen through a competitive process to address
protection, restoration and management of habitat to benefit at-risk
species, including federally listed endangered or threatened species and
proposed or candidate species. More information on the grant programs
and the Department of Interior is available at
[www.doi.gov](http://www.doi.gov/).

NISC is a cabinet level council that was established by Executive Order
in 1999 to provide leadership and to ensure complementary,
cost-efficient and effective federal activities regarding invasive
species. Council members include three co-chairs: the secretaries of the
Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, and the secretaries of State, Defense,
Homeland Security, Treasury, Transportation, Health and Human Services,
as well as the Administrators of the Environmental Protection Agency and
the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S Trade
Representative. More information on NISC is online at
[www.invasivespecies.gov]{.underline}.

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***[Note to Stakeholders:]{.underline}*** Stakeholder announcements and
other NISC information are available on the Internet at
<http://www.invasivespecies.gov/>. For additional information on this
topic, contact Anna Cherry at (202) 354-1891 or
<anna_cherry@ios.doi.gov>