Partner Support to the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative

The summary for the Partner Support to the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative grant is detailed below. This summary states who is eligible for the grant, how much grant money will be awarded, current and past deadlines, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) numbers, and a sampling of similar government grants. Verify the accuracy of the data FederalGrants.com provides by visiting the webpage noted in the Link to Full Announcement section or by contacting the appropriate person listed as the Grant Announcement Contact. If any section is incomplete, please visit the website for the Bureau of Land Management, which is the U.S. government agency offering this grant.

Partner Support to the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative: Project Background Information: The Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) is a part of the Secretarys Healthy Lands Initiative. WLCI works with partners to implement a long-term science-based program to assess and enhance the quality and quantity of aquatic and terrestrial habitats at a landscape scale in Southwest Wyoming, while facilitating responsible energy and other developments. The initiative will develop and implement a strategic plan for landscape-scale habitat enhancement efforts to benefit wildlife species and agriculture uses particularly in four habitat types-sagebrush, aspen, riparian, and mountain shrub. Efforts will benefit all fish and wildlife, including species where their populations are declining or restricted in numbers and/or distribution and where their habitats are being negatively impacted. In addition, through information sharing, the WCLI will facilitate implementation of energy development reclamation and mitigation required by industry. This proposal will support the WLCI by providing an incumbent in a Wyoming Department of Agriculture position to act as a member of an interdisciplinary coordination team, tasked with managing the on-the-ground aspects of the effort, and stationed in Rock Springs Wyoming. Project Objective: This proposal will support the WLCI by providing an incumbent in a Wyoming Department of Agriculture position to act as a member of an interdisciplinary coordination team, tasked with managing the on-the-ground aspects of the effort, and stationed in Rock Springs Wyoming. The employee of the Department of Agriculture will act as part of the WLCI coordination team that is responsible for the day to day operations of the WLCI to implement a long-term science-based effort to assess and enhance aquatic and terrestrial habitats at a landscape scale in Southwest Wyoming, while facilitating responsible development through local collaboration and partnerships. Duties include helping design future projects; coordinating with private landowners and users of public lands to promote partnerships; providing expertise relating to the needs of the agriculture community, livestock grazing in particular; some field monitoring of development activities; identifying special data needs for filling data gaps concerning areas and resources to be considered for enhancement efforts; and providing periodic presentations and other communications to the executive committee, agencies or groups. Benefits: The WLCI has established an inter-agency coordination team to implement and manage enhancement projects and activities necessary to meet WLCI objectives. The WLCI identifies that working with partners is the key to ensuring the WLCI functions on a landscape scale and is effective in achieving the habitat conservation goals. Working with the Wyoming Department of Agriculture will provide for a liaison between WLCI and agriculture community for project planning. BLM also has the jurisdiction for management of wildlife habitat on public lands. By cooperating with Wyoming Department of Agriculture and others in this effort, BLM will better be able to work with partners for the benefit of landscapes and wildlife species, including T&E and sensitive species, as mandated in FLPMA and BLM Manual 6840. This agreement will also facilitate working with partners such as private landowners for wildlife enhancement and the representing of agriculture interests on public and private lands. A key component of the WLCI is building partnerships with local communities and users, including the agriculture community. This person will work with the local communities to provide information about the WLCI and to build partnerships for shared projects and enhancement efforts by providing a point of contact on the WLCI field team and lending expertise to enhancement activities. Statement of Joint Objectives/Project Management Plan: A.Purpose. This Project is initiated by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming State Office (BLM) for the purpose of cooperatively funding a Wyoming Department of Agriculture position to act as a member of an interdisciplinary team to facilitate the coordination, location and design of future wildlife enhancement efforts in support of the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) in Southwest Wyoming. Also, as part of the WLCI interdisciplinary coordination team, develop and facilitate plans for maintaining, restoring, and conserving fish and wildlife habitat; work with partners in WLCI (BLM, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and USDA Forest Service, Wyoming Department of Agriculture) to accomplish this task; and develop additional partnerships with other agencies and non-governmental organizations to facilitate meeting the goals established by the WLCI. B.Objective. The objective of this position is to provide full-time coordination with the BLM, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and USDA Forest Service, other federal, state and local agencies, and organizations and individuals in a dedicated effort to promote a long-term, science-based effort to assess and enhance aquatic and terrestrial habitats at a landscape scale in Southwest Wyoming, while facilitating responsible development through local collaboration and partnerships. The position will facilitate and assist with the planning, baseline data gathering, and initiation and monitoring, of projects and efforts associated with WLCI. Acting as part of an interdisciplinary field team, specific objectives of the position are to provide information and expertise in: 1.Assisting with developing specific operational procedures necessary for day-to-day activities of the Field Coordination Team. 2.Assisting in the planning of wildlife enhancement and conservation projects and efforts at a landscape scale, including concept development, coordinating with users and land managers, and collating and assuring comprehensive input into projects and related budget initiatives. 3.Incorporating into habitat management proposals, habitat information and management opportunities identified in the Wyoming Game and Fish Department Comprehensive Wildlife Action Plan (CWAP), Strategic Habitat Plan, Wyoming Sage-Grouse Conservation Plan (along with local working group plans), BLM resource management plans and activity plans (e.g., habitat management plans (HMPs) and cooperative management agreements [CMAs]); numerous NEPA documents and biological opinions. 4.Assisting in planning and design, facilitating, conducting, and/or overseeing any special studies needed to fill information gaps concerning fish or wildlife habitat, or livestock grazing use areas. Integrating existing data with new knowledge and technologies to forecast future development of energy resources or other activities to assist in habitat conservation planning and implementation. 5.Identifying priority needs not addressed by existing agency science and resources programs, and developing a funding strategy to meet these needs. Exchanging information, data, and research findings among partners, industry, and stakeholders to improve habitat conditions, and long-term viability of species, and land health. 6.Assisting in conducting efficient science-based species monitoring and habitat enhancement. 7.Facilitating best reclamation and mitigation practices for areas impacted by energy and other types of development. 8.Providing expertise to ensure grazing management practices sustain a viable livestock industry and associated open spaces. 9.Assisting in developing a comprehensive outreach plan to involve stakeholders and partners in all phases of WLCI. This includes contacting local landowners, industry, individuals, and public land users for input and participation into project identification, the location of priority areas, and the development of monitoring efforts. In particular, act as a liaison with agriculture groups to build long-term working relationships to work toward meeting WLCI goals.