The proposal for this project includes habitat work, restoration of wetlands, help with grazing rotations, and other such activities on private tracts in conjunction with the landowners. It s a win-win program. We hope to continue. The money is generated through partnership dollars with such organizations as Ducks Unlimited, North Dakota Game and Fish, the Bush Foundation, and the Mountrail County Soil Conservation District. Private landowners also contribute.
Local contractors do the majority of the work with the landowners.
We ve had good success with this. Landowners have another opportunity to benefit economically as habitat management decisions are made by the refuges. These practices allowed the refuges to meet specified habitat objectives and provided income or resources for some landowners. Hunting and tourism programs may expand The dollars from the Des Lacs Complex budget offer more than instant cash in local bank accounts, however. The National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 mandates that refuges maximize wildlife-dependent opportunities for hunting, fishing, photography, environmental education, wildlife observation, and interpretation.