HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Executive Director Douglas Austen and Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl Roe announced an invitation for project applications to the State Wildlife Grants Program. These projects will help address conservation needs for high-priority conservation projects for endangered, threatened and at-risk species across Pennsylvania.
The federal dollars for this program are awarded to the two agencies from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service through the State Wildlife Grants Program. Pennsylvania has yet to receive notification of its 2007 award from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, thus funding of any selected projects will be contingent upon this award.
The project applications are due by 4 p.m. on May 4. The agencies hope to finalize project selections as soon as possible, and contracts later this year.
“Based on the limited resources of our agencies, nongame species are greatly underfunded,” Roe said. “SWG funding, as well as the former Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Program, has provided a much-needed infusion of federal funds for wildlife conservation in Pennsylvania.”
Roe also noted that, because distribution of funds is based upon land area and population size, Pennsylvania has received a large proportion of these funds, ranking among the top six states in funding received to date.
“We look forward to working with our conservation partners across the state to develop the best projects for long-term conservation benefits to the Commonwealth,” Austen said. “This program provides us with a great opportunity to protect these animals, which are important indicators of environmental health.”
For more information and an application packet, visit the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Web site, select “Grants” from the left-hand column and then “State Wildlife Grants Program” or visit the Pennsylvania Game Commission Web site, click on “Wildlife” and choose “State Wildlife Grants Program” in the “Wildlife” box in the right-hand column.