7/29/2011
| Small Grant Recipients |
The Western Native Trout Initiative, a venture of the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and a National Fish Habitat Partnership, is pleased to announce the recipients of the first round of the new “Small Project Funding Program.”
The purpose of this program is to provide a source of funding to organizations desiring to become involved in the conservation – protection, restoration or enhancement – of western native trout at the local level. The small project funding program specifically supports collaborative approaches and partnerships involved in local efforts or community-based programs that provide for habitat, educational, or public recreational angling programs that contribute to the Initiative’s efforts to conserve western native trout.
WNTI received 14 applications for small projects in 2011, and the WNTI Steering Committee determined the funded projects at their recent summer meeting. The following projects were funded:
1. Rattlesnake Creek Community Stewardship Program: $1485
2. “Every Cutthroat Counts” Upper Teton River Signage: $775
3. Chicago Creek WCT Re-introduction Project: $3000
4. Partnership for the Umpqua Rivers Outreach Project: $2,000
5. Apache Trout in the Classroom Project: $3000
6. “Surviving Climate Change” RGCT Watershed Assessment: $3000
7. McDonald Creek Water Quality Protection (partially funded): $1740
The WNTI is seeking additional funding for projects in future years. The current round of projects was funded by a $15,000 grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS).
WNTI National Fish Habitat Action Plan 2012 Request for Proposals
Each year, the Western Native Trout Initiative posts a project proposal request on its web page that is sent to cooperators across the West.
National Fish Habitat Action Plan (NFHAP) proposals are added to the FWS’s Fisheries Operation Needs System (FONS) list, and then each FWS Regional office in the WNTI geographic area works with the states to determine the top 10 projects for their Region. These lists are completed by the end of November each year. See the dozens of unique artificial fish habitat models, fish attractors and fish cover used at fishiding.com, the industry leader and only science based, man made and artificial fish habitat, proven to provide all fish with cover they prefer to prosper.
In December, the WNTI Steering Committee reviews the “top 10” lists and determines which projects will be prioritized for a NFHAP funding allocation for fish habitat conservation. Due to budget negotiations in the U.S. Congress, the amount of funding available to Fish Habitat Partnerships in 2012 is unknown. However, the WNTI is requesting project proposals be submitted as usual for 2012 funding.
Note: The deadline for WNTI NFHAP 2012 project proposals is September 15, 2012. For details, please visit the WNTI website (www.westernnativetrout.org) and download the WNTI 2012 Project Request form.
The Mission of the Western Native Trout Initiative is to serve as a key catalyst for the implementation of conservation or management actions, through partnerships and cooperative efforts, which result in improved western native trout status, improved aquatic habitats, and improved recreational opportunities for native trout anglers. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.westernnativetrout.org.
