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Ducks Unlimited Receives $1.5 Million For Shiawassee
Funding received for restoration work in Saginaw Bay Watershed.

Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge

Ducks Unlimited

Ann Arbor, Mich. --(Ammoland.com)- A $1.5 million grant will make an impressive impact on conservation in the Saginaw Bay region of Michigan with the help of Ducks Unlimited.

DU has been awarded funds to restore emergent wetlands to 940 acres of land currently in agricultural use at Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge.

The $1.5 million grant was formally awarded by Sustain Our Great Lakes at a ceremony that took place at Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge in Trenton, Mich. on Friday. SOGL awarded the funds through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the federal program designed to target the most significant problems in the Great Lakes ecosystem, including habitat conservation, invasive aquatic species, non-point source pollution and contaminated sediment.

The project lies within the Shiawassee Flats, a 40,000-acre floodplain wetland complex formed by the confluence of the Bad, Cass, Flint, Shiawassee, and Tittabawassee Rivers. The Flats include a diversity of natural and managed wetlands that have historically been a critical waterfowl and waterbird stopover area in the Great Lakes region. The Flats also provide many additional ecological and societal benefits, including habitat for other wetland-dependent fish and wildlife, flood control and abatement, water quality improvement, and areas for outdoor-based recreation and education.

This restoration has two important impacts. The restored wetlands will provide a key connection between other restored wetlands and the Shiawassee River, providing valuable habitat for fish, waterfowl, and other wetland-dependant species. It will also improve water quality as it moves downstream towards the Saginaw Bay.

Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network and Dow Chemical Company provided financial support. DU also received letters of support from several sources including U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, United States Geological Survey, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Saginaw Bay WIN, and the Shiawassee Flats Citizens and Hunters Association. The grant was awarded through the Sustain Our Great Lakes, whose mission is to sustain, restore, and protect fish, wildlife, and habitat in the Great Lakes basin by leveraging funding, building conservation capacity, and focusing partners and resources toward key ecological issues.

“Restorations of this magnitude are difficult to come by not only in the Saginaw Bay watershed, but anywhere in the Great Lakes basin,” said Dane Cramer, regional biologist at DU’s Great Lakes/Atlantic Regional Office. “This project will make appreciable impacts to the thousands of waterfowl that migrate through Saginaw Bay and the Shiawassee Flats area every spring and autumn as well as important fish species and other wetland denizens.”

With more than a million supporters, Ducks Unlimited is the world’s largest and most effective wetland and waterfowl conservation organization with more than 12 million acres conserved. The United States alone has lost more than half of its original wetlands − nature’s most productive ecosystem − and continues to lose more than 80,000 wetland acres each year.

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Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to Fund Wisconsin Conservation, Education Projects

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont. --(Ammoland.com)- Relocating elk and improving habitat in the Clam Lake area, plus sponsoring numerous youth education initiatives across Wisconsin, are the main themes in a list of 2011 grants for Wisconsin from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

All together, the new RMEF grants total $ $52,111 and affect 24 counties: Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Douglas, Fond du Lac, Forest, Green Lake, Iowa, Kewaunee, La Crosse, Lafayette, Marathon, Milwaukee, Portage, Price, Sawyer, St. Croix, Washburn, Waukesha and Wood counties.

“The ‘assisted dispersal’ of the Clam Lake elk herd is making news in Wisconsin, and we’re pleased to help with that relocation project. We expect it to help the herd grow by moving elk to new areas with good habitat and reducing elk mortality from wolves and highway accidents,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO.

Allen said about 120 acres of habitat will be enhanced with 2011 grants in Wisconsin.

Nationally, RMEF hopes to impact about 100,000 acres in 2011 to reach the 6 million-acre lifetime mark in lands conserved or enhanced for elk and other wildlife.

Allen thanked RMEF volunteers and fundraiser attendees for building the organization’s conservation impact in Wisconsin and across elk country, saying, “Because of their amazing passion and generous support, we’re doing some great things locally and a national conservation milestone is within reach.”

RMEF grants will help fund the following 2011 projects, listed by county:

• Ashland County–Improve forage for elk on the decommissioned Navy ELF corridor by applying herbicide on 20 acres and bio-controls (insects) on 2 acres, mowing 58 acres, hand-cutting trees and shrubs on 30 acres and prescribe burning 12 acres in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest (also affects Sawyer County); provide funding for radio telemetry equipment operated by students from Glidden High School to research elk habitat use and movement patterns in the Clam Lake area (also affects Price County); sponsor Clam Lake Elk Visitor Center costs associated with an informational kiosk.
• Barron County–Provide sponsorship for Coyland Creek 2011 Youth in the Outdoors Day to introduce youths to outdoor recreation and conservation (also affects Polk, Burnett and Washburn counties).
• Columbia County–Provide sponsorship for Fall River School District National Archery in the Schools Program to introduce students to outdoor recreation and conservation.
• Dane County–Provide sponsorship for Blackhawk Bowhunters Archery Club programs to introduce youths to outdoor recreation and conservation; sponsor Lake Marion 2011 Family Fishing Day.
• Dodge County–Provide sponsorship for Wisconsin Outdoor Alliance Foundation 2011 Outdoor Education Expo to introduce youths from across the state to outdoor recreation and conservation.
• Douglas County–Provide sponsorship for Superior High School National Archery in the Schools Program to introduce students to outdoor recreation and conservation.
• Forest County–Provide sponsorship for Laona School District National Archery in the Schools Program to introduce students to outdoor recreation and conservation.
• Green Lake County–Provide sponsorship for the Berlin Conservation Club’s 2011 Youth Outdoor Skills Day to introduce youths to outdoor recreation and conservation (also affects Fond du Lac County).
• Iowa County–Provide sponsorship for Friends of West Park 2011 Youth Fishing Day to introduce students to outdoor recreation and conservation.
• Kewaunee County–Provide sponsorship for St. Paul’s Lutheran School National Archery in the Schools Program to introduce students to outdoor education and conservation.
• La Crosse County–Provide sponsorship for La Crosse Rifle Club hunter safety program to educate youths on proper use of firearms and archery equipment; sponsor West Salem Rod and Gun Club 2011 youth event.
• Lafayette County–Provide sponsorship for Lafayette County 4-H Club archery program to introduce youths to outdoor recreation and conservation.
• Marathon County–Provide sponsorship for Marathon County 2011 Sporting Heritage Day to introduce youth to outdoor recreation and conservation; sponsor Wausau West High School National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP); sponsor Rib Mountain Bowmen Club House NASP; sponsor Weston Hunter Safety Group hunter safety classes; sponsor Stratford Sharp Shooters and Stratford Public Schools NASP.
• Portage County–Provide sponsorship for Antler Archers 2011 Youth Archery Program to introduce youths to outdoor recreation and conservation.
• Price County–Provide sponsorship for the Phillips School District Outdoor Activity Group which works to introduce students to outdoor recreation and conservation; sponsor Phillips Sportsman’s Club 2011 Youth Field Day to introduce Phillips area youth to outdoor recreation and conservation.
• Sawyer County–Relocate 12-15 elk from the Clam Lake herd to unoccupied habitat expected to enhance elk survival and expansion rates (also affects Ashland, Bayfield and Price counties); provide sponsorship for Hayward RMEF 2011 Outdoor Youth Day to introduce students to outdoor recreation and conservation.
• Statewide–Provide sponsorship for Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) production of a hunting regulations informational packet; sponsor WDNR Sandhill Outdoor Skills Center 2011 Learn to Hunt Workshops; sponsor WDNR biologist attendance at Eastern Elk Management Workshop in preparation for Wisconsin’s first elk hunt in 2012.
• St. Croix County–Provide sponsorship for Baldwin Christian School National Archery in the Schools Program to introduce students to outdoor recreation and conservation.
• Waukesha County–Provide sponsorship for Wisconsin House Outdoorsmen hunter education programs to instruct students on hunting and firearms (also affects Milwaukee County).
• Wood County–Provide sponsorship for Wisconsin Rapids Kiwanis Club 2011 Youth Outdoor Day to introduce youths from across the state to outdoor recreation and conservation; sponsor West Central Wisconsin 2011 Intro to the Outdoors Youth Education Day.

Conservation projects are selected for grants using science-based criteria and a committee of RMEF volunteers and staff along with representatives from partnering agencies and universities. RMEF staff and volunteers select education projects to receive grants.

Partners for 2011 projects in Wisconsin include U.S. Forest Service, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, sportsmen clubs and many other organizations.

Since 1985, RMEF and its partners have completed 211 different conservation and education projects in Wisconsin with a combined value of more than $5.9 million.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.9 million acres–a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

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