2005 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund Announcement of Grants Awarded
· Recovery Land Acquisition grants
· Habitat Conservation Plan Land Acquisition grants
· Habitat Conservation Planning Assistance grants

A total of 14 grant proposals were submitted to the State of Washington by April 7, 2005 for consideration under the 2005 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund – a federal grant source for conservation-related land acquisition and for habitat conservation planning.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) used an interagency evaluation team to score and rank all proposals by grant program. Grant proposals were submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for regional and national competition. Grant awards were announced by the Service’s national office on September 27, 2005; for further information, see the federal website at http://endangered.fws.gov/grants/section6/index.html

In Washington state, federal funds were awarded to one project under the Recovery Land Acquisition grant program, five projects under the HCP Land Acquisition grant program, and four projects under the Habitat Conservation Planning Assistance grant program. These awards will result in $14,281,781 being brought into the state for habitat and species conservation.

Grant awards will result in the planning and development of habitat conservation plans or the acquisition of land for conservation of endangered and threatened species. All land acquisitions that result can only be made from willing sellers, for fair market value, based on current appraisals. .

For further information about any of the following funded projects, please call the agency contact indicated for each project.

Projects Awarded Funding by the Recovery Land Acquisition Grant Program

Project Name: Nelson Creek Property Acquisition
Location: Elochoman Watershed, Wahkiakum County
Proposal: Purchase 180 acres of land to benefit Columbian white-tailed deer
Award: $651,533
State Agency Sponsor: WDFW
Partners and Supporters: Columbia Land Trust, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Julia Butler Hansen Columbian White-Tailed Deer Refuge
Agency Contact: WDFW - Elizabeth Rodrick (360) 902-2696

Projects Awarded Funding by the HCP Land Acquisition Grant Program

Project Name: Tieton River Project Phase 2
Location: Tieton Watershed, Yakima County
Proposal: Purchase 7,093 acres of riparian and upland forest habitat to benefit northern spotted owls and bull trout
Award: $2,397,060
State Agency Sponsor: WDFW
Partners and Supporters: The Nature Conservancy, The Cascade Conservation Partnership, Yakima County Commissioners
Agency Contact: WDFW - Elizabeth Rodrick (360) 902-2696

Project Name: Swamp Lake/Amabilis Mountain
Location: Yakima River Watershed, Kittitas County
Proposal: Purchase 297 acres of forested habitat to benefit northern spotted owl, lynx, gray wolf, wolverine
Award: $2,950,745
State Agency Sponsor: DNR
Partners and Supporters: The Trust for Public Land, Mountains to Sound Greenway, Cascade Conservation Partnership, Kittitas Conservation Trust, Kongsberger Cross-country Ski Club
Agency Contact: DNR - Omroa Bhagwandin (360) 902-1059

Project Name: Methow Watershed – Phase 3
Location: Methow, Okanogan County
Proposal: Purchase 600 acres of riparian and upland forest habitat to benefit northern spotted owls, grizzly bears, gray wolves, Canada lynx, salmon
Award: $2,070,000
State Agency Sponsor: WDFW
Partners and Supporters: Methow Conservancy
Agency Contact: WDFW - Elizabeth Rodrick (360) 902-2696

Project Name: Hoh River Conservation Corridor
Location: Hoh Watershed, Jefferson County
Proposal: Purchase 1,176 acres of riparian and upland forest habitats to benefit bull trout, marbled murrelets, northern spotted owls, bald eagles
Award: $2,052,250
State Agency Sponsor: DNR
Partners and Supporters: Western Rivers Conservancy, Hoh River Trust, Olympic Environmental Council, Washington Fly Fishing Club, Trout Unlimited, Rayonier Timber, Washington Trollers Association
Agency Contact: DNR – Omroa Bhagwandin (360) 902-1059

Project Name: Cedar River Phase 3 Acquisition
Location: Cedar River Watershed, King County
Proposal: Purchase 100 acres of lower river habitat to benefit birds, fishes, amphibians
Award: $1,617,138
State Agency Sponsor: WDFW
Partners and Supporters: Seattle Public Utilities, Cascade Land Conservancy, King County Water and Land Resources Division, Cedar River Council
Agency Contact: WDFW - Elizabeth Rodrick (360) 902-2696

Projects Awarded Funding by the Habitat Conservation Planning Assistance Grant Program

Project Name: Washington State Hydraulic Project Approval HCP
Location: Waters of Washington State
Proposal: Initiate the development of an HCP to cover approximately 45 aquatic species that may be affected by activities authorized by issuance of state hydraulic project approval permits
Award: $660,000
State Agency Sponsor: WDFW
Applicant: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Agency Contact: WDFW – Jane Banyard (360) 902-2572

Project Name: Washington DNR Aquatic Resources HCP
Location: 2.4 million acres of state-owned aquatic lands in Washington State
Proposal: Develop an HCP to cover up to 86 species that may be affected by authorized activities on DNR-owned aquatic lands
Award: $813,500
State Agency Sponsor: DNR
Applicant: Washington Department of Natural Resources
Agency Contact: DNR – Omroa Bhagwandin (360) 902-1059

Project Name: WDFW Wildlife Area HCP
Location: WDFW-owned lands throughout Washington State
Proposal: Initiate the development of an HCP to cover up to 125 species that may be affected by management activities on state-owned wildlife areas
Award: $544,555
State Agency Sponsor: WDFW
Applicant: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Agency Contact: WDFW – Jane Banyard (360) 902-2572

Project Name: Family Forest HCP for Lewis County
Location: 136,353 acres of privately-owned timberlands in Lewis County
Proposal: Develop an HCP to cover up to 74 species that may be affected by timber management activities on family forest holdings
Award: $525,000
State Agency Sponsor: DNR
Applicant: Family Forest Foundation
Agency Contact: DNR – Omroa Bhagwandin (360) 902-1059

In addition, two projects proposed during the 2005 grant cycle were funded with HCP Land Acquisition funds unspent from previous awards. These are:

Project Name: Bacon Creek Habitat Acquisitions
Location: Skagit River Watershed, Skagit County
Proposal: Purchase 51 acres of in-stream and streamside habitat to benefit bull trout, bald eagles, Chinook salmon
Award: $190,931
State Agency Sponsor: WDFW
Partners and Supporters: Seattle City Light – Environment and Safety Division, Skagit Watershed Council – Restoration and Protection Committee, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Forest Service, The Nature Conservancy, Skagit Land Trust, Skagit River System Cooperative, Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group
Agency Contact: WDFW - Elizabeth Rodrick (360) 902-2696

Project Name: Ellsworth Creek Watershed Phase II
Location: Willapa Watershed, Pacific County
Proposal: Purchase 296 acres of forest habitat to benefit marbled murrelets, bald eagles, salmon
Award: $404,064
State Agency Sponsor: WDFW
Partners and Supporters: The Nature Conservancy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Agency Contact: WDFW - Elizabeth Rodrick (360) 902-2696