From staff reports Federal grants for conservation efforts in Oklahoma focusing on bison herd growth, wetlands, and protection of the scenic Illinois River, were announced recently.
The Biden-Harris administration joined the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, public- and private-sector partners in announcing $122.4 million in grants through the America the Beautiful Challenge.
Sixty-one grants were announced in support of landscape-scale conservation projects across 42 states, 19 tribal nations and three U.S. territories. The administration believes the grants will generate at least $8.7 million in matching contributions for a total conservation impact of $131.1 million.
The program, launched by President Biden in 2021, set the nation’s first-ever goal to conserve at least 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030.
• The Oklahoma Conservation Commission is set to receive a $4 million grant, to be coupled with $444,800 in matching funds, for the Southern Great Plains Wetlands and Prairie Collaborative in Oklahoma and Kansas.
The funds are to be used to create ecologically functional grassland, wetland and riparian ecosystems in the Southern Great Plains of Oklahoma and Kansas through 10,000 acres of invasive-species removal, 30,000 acres of prescribed burning and restoring 1,000 acres of wetlands to benefit whooping cranes. The project will work collaboratively to restore wildlife habitat, decrease wildfire risks, increase water availability and improve livestock production.
• A $498,000 grant requiring $164,300 in matching funds was awarded for the $662,300 Native-Led Restoration and Stewardship of Bison-grazed Land in Oklahoma, Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Texas.
The program will conduct outreach and provide technical assistance to Native buffalo producers on bison-grazed lands across Indian Country. The project will utilize Working Lands for Wildlife frameworks and traditional ecological knowledge to develop preparedness and conservation plans for 34 native buffalo producers, increasing access to farm bill programs and climate-smart practices, strengthening resilience and enhancing biodiversity on Native-managed grasslands, prairies and savannas.
• The Cherokee Nation will receive $772,900 for an Illinois River Watershed Conservation and Restoration Partnership between Oklahoma and Arkansas. The project’s goal is to achieve conservation, restoration and improved recreational access within the Illinois River watershed.
It will protect culturally significant species and habitats, creating four strategic plans and 17 engineering and design plans for riparian restoration, unpaved roads, habitat and wetlands restoration, public access improvement, and community education and outreach programming.
• A $3,425,900 grant to be coupled with $381,000 in matching funds was awarded to the University of Alabama for a $3.8 million project: Developing Giant Rivercane Restoration for the Southeastern United States.
Oklahoma is one of 12 states where development of giant rivercane seed stock will be used to help Tribal Nations implement rivercane habitat restoration projects across the Southeast. The rivercane is considered a “cultural keystone species” and part of many Southeastern Indigenous communities’ culture, heritage and lifeways.
• A grant of $499,200 requiring $164,700 in matching funds is earmarked for development of Monarch butterfly conservation in Texas. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation received the funding for its Expanding Technical Assistance on Texas Working Lands for Monarch Conservation.
Its goal is to develop monarch butterfly conservation capacity across Texas, specifically within south Texas and Texas Hill Country, by supporting a monarch butterfly habitat conservation specialist to facilitate and aid private landowner conservation actions. Project will develop conservation planning tools, train Natural Resources Conservation Service staff, lead habitat demonstration projects, increase landowner knowledge through 12 outreach events, and contribute to the development of at least 24 projects.