Encouraging all these landowners to adopt wildlife management techniques will have a broad beneficial effect. To encourage the broad application of wildlife management techniques, the Refuge plans to provide technical and financial support for a variety of cooperative management efforts. The Challenge Cost-Share Program will be used to support a variety of innovative projects. Begun in 1988, the Challenge Cost Share Program is a competitive program created to share the costs of local projects that support Fish and Wildlife Service goals. It is funded with a Congressional appropriation and administered through the Service's seven Regional Offices.
Funding is awarded through a competitive process.
The Conte Refuge will augment the funds available to support its cooperators. The Conte Refuge goal is to fund at least 20 projects per year. This program has been very popular and successful. An additional nine projects were chosen to be funded by other programs in the regional office, including the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, Partners in Flight and Endangered Species. To support habitat protection, restoration, and management, some research, inventory, and management projects will be needed.