Playa Post - Volume 5, Issue 1, Jan. 2007

Lessons Learned from Colorado Campaign for EQIP Wildlife Funding
Good news for wildlife in Colorado - the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has instituted a $10/acre wildlife management incentive payment from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to fund at-risk wildlife habitat conservation on working lands. A coalition of biologists from the eastern plains is optimistic that this success is the first step in a long-term campaign to direct more EQIP funding for wildlife in eastern Colorado.

"We all see it as a success," said Matt Reddy, Private Lands Wildlife Biologist for the NRCS who coordinated the effort. "We are looking at this as a long-term, probably three-year, project to work out the kinks. Now we are focusing on making landowners aware of the opportunity and getting projects going for next year."

The deadline to apply for EQIP has already passed, but biologists are hopeful the at-risk wildlife-incentive program will stay in effect next year.

The process to orient more EQIP funding for wildlife started back in June of 2006 during a meeting of eastern plains biologists from the NRCS, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Ducks Unlimited, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory. The coalition crafted recommendations to increase EQIP cost share for certain conservation practices and to institute wildlife management incentive payments. The biologists then shopped around the recommendations to more than three dozen Local Work Groups and Watershed Groups throughout the eastern plains. Nearly all the groups approved the recommendations, which were then presented at the NRCS State Technical Committee meeting last October.

The incentive payment was only one of the recommendations that the coalition had hoped to attain. NRCS state and field-office level staff modified the payment and cost-share recommendations to better align them with existing program policy. Next time, Reddy says, the coalition will be involved during that stage of the process to hopefully ensure that at-risk species conservation continues to be fully addressed through EQIP.

But the real key to the success of this long-term effort is generating demand among private landowners for wildlife conservation.

"Even before the announcement was made, we were shepherding projects in anticipation of the deadline," said Reddy. "We are beating the bush to scare up additional projects and create demand for next year. That way we have a good chance to maintain the program through next year."

Reddy urges other private lands biologists and project developers to look closely at EQIP as a worthwhile avenue to fund wildlife conservation

"What we are trying to do is take EQIP center stage for at-risk species conservation on working lands," he said. "EQIP has a lot more money and is a lot more flexible than most Farm Bill programs. It's about looking for solutions and EQIP is full of solutions."

For more information about this effort, contact Matt Reddy. Another good contact is Tish McDaniel of The Nature Conservancy, who helped coordinate with Local Work Groups in eastern New Mexico to earmark EQIP funding for wildlife conservation on playas.

John Cornely Retires from USFWS, PLJV Board
The PLJV bid a fond farewell to outgoing board member John Cornely who is retiring as from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

John was honored Dec. 19 at a luncheon reception organized by the USFWS Region 6 office where friends and colleagues took turns reflecting with humor and heartfelt thanks upon his many years of service with the agency. PLJV Coordinator Mike Carter presented Cornely with an inscribed Northern Pintail decoy as thanks for his service to the PLJV. We will miss you John!

Regional News and Resources:
> New Mexico Audubon launches All-Bird Listserv; contact Betsy Daub.
> Pocket Guide to Great Plains Shorebirds, by Suzanne Fellows and Bob Gress, published by the Great Plains Nature Center.
> The Avian Power Line Interaction Committee releases Suggested Practices for Avian Protection on Power Lines.
> Cheyenne Bottoms breaks ground for the new Kansas Wetlands Education Center.
> The Nature Conservancy publishes study on worldwide habitat loss.
> Environmental Concern seeks partners for wetland education workshops.
> New Pheasants Forever Chapter launches in Weld County, Colorado.

PLJV Radio: LISTEN NOW
> Jan. 1: Conservationists Converge to Preserve Central Shortgrass Prairie: A newly-formed partnership of conservation groups and wildlife agencies are working with private landowners to conserve the precious Central shortgrass prairie.
> Jan. 8: Conserving Playa Links Landowner to His Youth: Kansas farmer Ben Duell waxes nostalgic about his playa and why he's conserving it for the future.
> Jan. 15: Familiar Face Helps Landowners Conserve Prairie: The Nature Conservancy's Tish McDaniel's rural roots help her connect with landowners in eastern New Mexico.
> Jan 22 Trained Eye Keeps Count of Waterfowl in Oklahoma: Mike O'Meilia's 23 years of flying the Mid-Winter Waterfowl Survey for the Oklahoma Dept. of Wildlife Conservation has given him a keen eye for counting birds.
> Jan 29: A Conversation with William Ashford, author of Ogallala Blue: William Ashford thinks we should worry less about saving the Ogallala Aquifer, and instead save the culture that depends on it.

Playa Country airs on 22 High Plains Public Radio affiliate stations Mondays at 10:30am and Saturdays at 11:15am, Thursdays on KPAN Radio in Hereford, TX at 11:55am (all times CST), and Tuesdays on KENW/KMTH 89.5FM in Portles, NM at 12:45pm MST. If you don't get Playa Country in your neck of the prairie, you can listen online. Send story ideas to Debbie Slobe.

Happenings Around the PLJV:
> Jan. 10: South Platte Focus Area Committee Meeting; Brush, CO; contact Wendy Figueroa
> Jan. 11: Shortgrass Steppe Symposium, Colorado State University; Ft Collins, CO
> Jan. 11 - 14: Oklahoma Winter Bird Survey
> Now - Jan. 15: Call for papers for the Association of State Wetland Managers Western States Workshop; June 3-6; Park City, UT
> Jan. 15: Deadline to submit nominations for the Nebraska Partnership for All-Bird Conservation Awards.
> Jan. 16 - 18: PLJV Winter Board Meeting at Quartz Mtn. Resort; Lone Wolf, OK; contact Mike Carter or Mike O'Meillia
> Feb. 2: World Wetlands Day
> Feb. 5 - 8: Flying Wild Bird Education Conference; Austin, TX
> Now - Feb. 15: Playa exhibit on display at Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge
> Feb. 15: Playa exhibit heads to Colorado Division of Wildlife office in Lamar, CO
> Feb. 20: Deadline to submit nominations for the North American Waterfowl Management Plan Committee's International Canvasback and National Great Blue Heron awards.
> Feb. 23 - 25: High Plains Snow Goose Festival, Lamar, CO; contact John Koshak
> Feb. 27: Ecosystem Service Markets: Everyone's Business conference; Houston, TX
> Now - April: Registration and poster competition open for the New Mexico 6th Annual High Plains Prairie Chicken Festival April 13-15; Milnesand, NM
> Now - Feb. 20: Land Trust Alliance is now accepting presentation proposals for the 20th National Land Conservation Conference; Oct 2007; Denver, CO
> Feb. 27 - March 1: Bird Monitoring and Detectability: Understanding and Applying Appropriate Methods; Fort Collins, CO; contact David Klute
> March 16 - 18: Rivers and Wildlife Celebration and Nebraska Partnership for All-Bird Conservation Steering Committee Meeting; Kearney, NE
> Feb. 13 - 16, 2008: 4th International Partners in Flight Conference; McAllen, Texas; contact Terry Rich

Private Stewardship Grants Provide Big Bang for the Buck
Take it from past grant recipients, PLJV partners shouldn't pass up the opportunity to apply for a Private Stewardship Grant (PSG) this year. PSGs are offered through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and support habitat conservation projects on private lands that benefit at-risk species. Last year, PLJV partners garnered more than $500,000 in funding from the program, which only requires a 10 percent non-federal match.

"One of the nice things about the Private Stewardship Grant is that there is not a huge match requirement," said Joel Pederson of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), which is working on a riparian restoration project along the Canadian River in New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma which will benefit the threatened Arkansas River Shiner.

Seth Gallagher of the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory (RBMO) seconds that notion, "What makes it so appealing to landowners is that we are offering a 90 percent cost-share - which is almost unheard of." RMBO is also working on riparian restoration project along the Big Sandy Creek and Horse Creek in Elbert County, Colorado, which will benefit the Arkansas Darter which is a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act.

Past grant recipients advise prospective applicants to ensure that their proposals not only demonstrate benefits to at-risk species, but for all species that depend on the targeted project area.

"One thing I would say is to show the project has benefits beyond focal species," said Don Wolfe of the Sutton Avian Research Center which is working on a project to mark and remove fences near Lesser Prairie-Chicken leks in Oklahoma and Texas. Fence collisions are responsible for an alarming 30 percent of all cock deaths and half of hen deaths in Oklahoma, according to Sutton researchers.

"Everyone is smart enough to know there is more than one way to get to the end result," said Pederson, citing that the NWTF project will also benefit a myriad of other wildlife including wild turkeys, as well as benefit landowners in need of increased water flow for livestock.

"One thing that we do is take a comprehensive look at everything - inverts, birds, mammals, herps - and try to figure out geographically what are the critters and which are going to benefit including the T & E species," said Gallagher, who recommends that applicants include a comprehensive list of species benefited in their proposals.

The deadline to submit proposals for the PSG program is Feb. 14. See the "Follow the Money" section for more details.

PLJV Board Meets in Oklahoma
The winter PLJV Management Board meeting will take place January 16 - 18 at the Quartz Mountain Resort in Lone Wolf, Oklahoma. The winter meeting is when the Board awards grants to successful proposals submitted for the ConocoPhillips/PLJV grant program, as well as reviews past JV accomplishments and sets direction for the New Year. Meeting participants will also tour Hackberry Flat Wildlife Management Area - a flagship PLJV project that garnered three North American Wetland Conservation Act grants from 1995 - 1998. Meeting outcomes will be published in the next Playa Post.

Follow the Money:
> USFWS Private Stewardship Grants:
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking proposals for conservation projects to benefit imperiled species on private lands through the Private Stewardship Grants Program. This program provides federal grants on a competitive basis to individuals and groups engaged in voluntary conservation efforts on private lands that help federally listed endangered or threatened species as well as proposed, candidate and other at-risk species. Proposals are being accepted from December 15, 2006 through February 14, 2007.
> Volvo Adventure Award: The Volvo Adventure Environmental Award provides international recognition for projects undertaken by young people (ages 10-16) to improve their local environment. Successful groups will win an all-expense paid trip to Sweden, where they will present their projects and agenda for action. Deadline: January 31.
> National NRCS Conservation Innovation Grants: The Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) is a voluntary program intended to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies while leveraging federal investment in environmental enhancement and protection, in conjunction with agricultural production. Under CIG, Environmental Quality Incentives Program funds are used to award competitive grants to non-federal governmental or non-governmental organizations, tribes, or individuals. Approximately $20 million is available in 2007 and proposals are due Feb 2.
> Colorado EQIP Invasive Species Control Program: NRCS of Colorado is accepting proposals through February 2nd to support existing invasive weed species control programs in targeted areas throughout the state. In 2007, $1 million is available for this initiative through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. Questions about the program may be referred to Tim Carney, Assistant State Conservationist for Programs at 720-544-2805, Cindy Lair, Executive Director, Colorado State Conservation Board at 303-239-4111, or Eric Lane, State Weed Coordinator at 303-239-4182.
> North Star Science and Technology Transmitter Grant Program: North Star Science and Technology, LLC and American Bird Conservancy announce the 5th annual North Star Science and Technology Transmitter Grant Program. North Star will award a total of eight satellite transmitters to one or two recipients to study bird migration. The program is open to projects throughout the world. Research that contributes to our knowledge of avian biology and that provides data useful for bird conservation, particularly of threatened species, will receive preference in the selection process. Deadline for proposals is February 2. Questions about the program can be directed to George E. Wallace of the American Bird Conservancy.
> Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund: The USFWS is currently seeking proposals from states and U.S. territories interested in securing federal grant assistance to acquire land or plan for endangered species conservation efforts. For fiscal year 2007, the President's budget request for the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund would provide approximately $80 million in grant funding for conservation planning activities and habitat acquisition for federally protected species. Proposals must be submitted to the appropriate service regional offices by February 7.
> Colorado Wildlife Conservation Grants:
The Colorado Division of Wildlife has made $200,000 available for a competitive grant program to support projects to conserve, restore or enhance Colorado's threatened, endangered or declining wildlife species. The Colorado Wildlife Conservation Grant (CWCG) program is funded through the federal State Wildlife Grant program, with funds available for projects starting in the summer of 2007. Grant applications must be e-mailed or post-marked by February 15. Applications can be mailed to Jim Guthrie at the Colorado Division of Wildlife, 6060 Broadway, Denver, CO 80216, or sent via e-mail to Jim Guthrie.
> Kansas Wetlands Reserve Program:
The Natural Resources Conservation Service of Kansas has announced the signup cutoff date of March 1 for the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP). The program is continuous, but applications need to be received by the cutoff date to be considered for the fiscal year 2007 funding allocation of $1.2 million.
> Five Star Restoration Grants:
The Five Star Restoration Grant Program brings together students, conservation corps, other youth groups, citizen groups, corporations, landowners and government agencies to provide environmental education and training through projects that restore wetlands and streams. The program provides challenge grants, technical support and opportunities for information exchange to enable community-based restoration projects. Funding levels are from $5,000 to $20,000 with $10,000 as the average amount awarded per project. Deadline: March 9.

Playa Post ©2003 - 2007 Playa Lakes Joint Venture. Submission deadlines are the 15th of each month for publication the following month. Send press releases, comments and subscription inquiries to Debbie Slobe.



	VOLUME 5, ISSUE 1	JANUARY 2007

	Lessons Learned from Colorado Campaign for EQIP Wildlife Funding Good news for wildlife in Colorado - the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has instituted a $10/acre wildlife management incentive payment from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to fund at-risk wildlife habitat conservation on working lands. A coalition of biologists from the eastern plains is optimistic that this success is the first step in a long-term campaign to direct more EQIP funding for wildlife in eastern Colorado. "We all see it as a success," said Matt Reddy, Private Lands Wildlife Biologist for the NRCS who coordinated the effort. "We are looking at this as a long-term, probably three-year, project to work out the kinks. Now we are focusing on making landowners aware of the opportunity and getting projects going for next year." The deadline to apply for EQIP has already passed, but biologists are hopeful the at-risk wildlife-incentive program will stay in effect next year. The process to orient more EQIP funding for wildlife started back in June of 2006 during a meeting of eastern plains biologists from the NRCS, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Ducks Unlimited, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory. The coalition crafted recommendations to increase EQIP cost share for certain conservation practices and to institute wildlife management incentive payments. The biologists then shopped around the recommendations to more than three dozen Local Work Groups and Watershed Groups throughout the eastern plains. Nearly all the groups approved the recommendations, which were then presented at the NRCS State Technical Committee meeting last October. The incentive payment was only one of the recommendations that the coalition had hoped to attain. NRCS state and field-office level staff modified the payment and cost-share recommendations to better align them with existing program policy. Next time, Reddy says, the coalition will be involved during that stage of the process to hopefully ensure that at-risk species conservation continues to be fully addressed through EQIP. But the real key to the success of this long-term effort is generating demand among private landowners for wildlife conservation. "Even before the announcement was made, we were shepherding projects in anticipation of the deadline," said Reddy. "We are beating the bush to scare up additional projects and create demand for next year. That way we have a good chance to maintain the program through next year." Reddy urges other private lands biologists and project developers to look closely at EQIP as a worthwhile avenue to fund wildlife conservation "What we are trying to do is take EQIP center stage for at-risk species conservation on working lands," he said. "EQIP has a lot more money and is a lot more flexible than most Farm Bill programs. It's about looking for solutions and EQIP is full of solutions." For more information about this effort, contact Matt Reddy. Another good contact is Tish McDaniel of The Nature Conservancy, who helped coordinate with Local Work Groups in eastern New Mexico to earmark EQIP funding for wildlife conservation on playas. John Cornely Retires from USFWS, PLJV Board The PLJV bid a fond farewell to outgoing board member John Cornely who is retiring as from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. John was honored Dec. 19 at a luncheon reception organized by the USFWS Region 6 office where friends and colleagues took turns reflecting with humor and heartfelt thanks upon his many years of service with the agency. PLJV Coordinator Mike Carter presented Cornely with an inscribed Northern Pintail decoy as thanks for his service to the PLJV. We will miss you John! Regional News and Resources: > New Mexico Audubon launches All-Bird Listserv; contact Betsy Daub. > Pocket Guide to Great Plains Shorebirds, by Suzanne Fellows and Bob Gress, published by the Great Plains Nature Center. > The Avian Power Line Interaction Committee releases Suggested Practices for Avian Protection on Power Lines. > Cheyenne Bottoms breaks ground for the new Kansas Wetlands Education Center. > The Nature Conservancy publishes study on worldwide habitat loss. > Environmental Concern seeks partners for wetland education workshops. > New Pheasants Forever Chapter launches in Weld County, Colorado. PLJV Radio: LISTEN NOW > Jan. 1: Conservationists Converge to Preserve Central Shortgrass Prairie: A newly-formed partnership of conservation groups and wildlife agencies are working with private landowners to conserve the precious Central shortgrass prairie. > Jan. 8: Conserving Playa Links Landowner to His Youth: Kansas farmer Ben Duell waxes nostalgic about his playa and why he's conserving it for the future. > Jan. 15: Familiar Face Helps Landowners Conserve Prairie: The Nature Conservancy's Tish McDaniel's rural roots help her connect with landowners in eastern New Mexico. > Jan 22 Trained Eye Keeps Count of Waterfowl in Oklahoma: Mike O'Meilia's 23 years of flying the Mid-Winter Waterfowl Survey for the Oklahoma Dept. of Wildlife Conservation has given him a keen eye for counting birds. *> Jan 29: A Conversation with William Ashford, author of Ogallala Blue:* William Ashford thinks we should worry less about saving the Ogallala Aquifer, and instead save the culture that depends on it. Playa Country airs on 22 High Plains Public Radio affiliate stations Mondays at 10:30am and Saturdays at 11:15am, Thursdays on KPAN Radio in Hereford, TX at 11:55am (all times CST), and Tuesdays on KENW/KMTH 89.5FM in Portles, NM at 12:45pm MST. If you don't get Playa Country in your neck of the prairie, you can listen online. Send story ideas to Debbie Slobe. Happenings Around the PLJV: > Jan. 10: South Platte Focus Area Committee Meeting; Brush, CO; contact Wendy Figueroa > Jan. 11: Shortgrass Steppe Symposium, Colorado State University; Ft Collins, CO > Jan. 11 - 14: Oklahoma Winter Bird Survey > Now - Jan. 15: Call for papers for the Association of State Wetland Managers Western States Workshop; June 3-6; Park City, UT > Jan. 15: Deadline to submit nominations for the Nebraska Partnership for All-Bird Conservation Awards. > Jan. 16 - 18: PLJV Winter Board Meeting at Quartz Mtn. Resort; Lone Wolf, OK; contact Mike Carter or Mike O'Meillia > Feb. 2: World Wetlands Day > Feb. 5 - 8: Flying Wild Bird Education Conference; Austin, TX > Now - Feb. 15: Playa exhibit on display at Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge > Feb. 15: Playa exhibit heads to Colorado Division of Wildlife office in Lamar, CO > Feb. 20: Deadline to submit nominations for the North American Waterfowl Management Plan Committee's International Canvasback and National Great Blue Heron awards. > Feb. 23 - 25: High Plains Snow Goose Festival, Lamar, CO; contact John Koshak > Feb. 27: Ecosystem Service Markets: Everyone's Business conference; Houston, TX > Now - April: Registration and poster competition open for the New Mexico 6th Annual High Plains Prairie Chicken Festival April 13-15; Milnesand, NM > Now - Feb. 20: Land Trust Alliance is now accepting presentation proposals for the 20th National Land Conservation Conference; Oct 2007; Denver, CO > Feb. 27 - March 1: Bird Monitoring and Detectability: Understanding and Applying Appropriate Methods; Fort Collins, CO; contact David Klute > March 16 - 18: Rivers and Wildlife Celebration and Nebraska Partnership for All-Bird Conservation Steering Committee Meeting; Kearney, NE > Feb. 13 - 16, 2008: 4th International Partners in Flight Conference; McAllen, Texas; contact Terry Rich	Private Stewardship Grants Provide Big Bang for the Buck Take it from past grant recipients, PLJV partners shouldn't pass up the opportunity to apply for a Private Stewardship Grant (PSG) this year. PSGs are offered through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and support habitat conservation projects on private lands that benefit at-risk species. Last year, PLJV partners garnered more than $500,000 in funding from the program, which only requires a 10 percent non-federal match. "One of the nice things about the Private Stewardship Grant is that there is not a huge match requirement," said Joel Pederson of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), which is working on a riparian restoration project along the Canadian River in New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma which will benefit the threatened Arkansas River Shiner. Seth Gallagher of the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory (RBMO) seconds that notion, "What makes it so appealing to landowners is that we are offering a 90 percent cost-share - which is almost unheard of." RMBO is also working on riparian restoration project along the Big Sandy Creek and Horse Creek in Elbert County, Colorado, which will benefit the Arkansas Darter which is a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act. Past grant recipients advise prospective applicants to ensure that their proposals not only demonstrate benefits to at-risk species, but for all species that depend on the targeted project area. "One thing I would say is to show the project has benefits beyond focal species," said Don Wolfe of the Sutton Avian Research Center which is working on a project to mark and remove fences near Lesser Prairie-Chicken leks in Oklahoma and Texas. Fence collisions are responsible for an alarming 30 percent of all cock deaths and half of hen deaths in Oklahoma, according to Sutton researchers. "Everyone is smart enough to know there is more than one way to get to the end result," said Pederson, citing that the NWTF project will also benefit a myriad of other wildlife including wild turkeys, as well as benefit landowners in need of increased water flow for livestock. "One thing that we do is take a comprehensive look at everything - inverts, birds, mammals, herps - and try to figure out geographically what are the critters and which are going to benefit including the T & E species," said Gallagher, who recommends that applicants include a comprehensive list of species benefited in their proposals. The deadline to submit proposals for the PSG program is Feb. 14. See the "Follow the Money" section for more details. PLJV Board Meets in Oklahoma The winter PLJV Management Board meeting will take place January 16 - 18 at the Quartz Mountain Resort in Lone Wolf, Oklahoma. The winter meeting is when the Board awards grants to successful proposals submitted for the ConocoPhillips/PLJV grant program, as well as reviews past JV accomplishments and sets direction for the New Year. Meeting participants will also tour Hackberry Flat Wildlife Management Area - a flagship PLJV project that garnered three North American Wetland Conservation Act grants from 1995 - 1998. Meeting outcomes will be published in the next Playa Post. Follow the Money: > USFWS Private Stewardship Grants: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking proposals for conservation projects to benefit imperiled species on private lands through the Private Stewardship Grants Program. This program provides federal grants on a competitive basis to individuals and groups engaged in voluntary conservation efforts on private lands that help federally listed endangered or threatened species as well as proposed, candidate and other at-risk species. Proposals are being accepted from December 15, 2006 through February 14, 2007. > Volvo Adventure Award: The Volvo Adventure Environmental Award provides international recognition for projects undertaken by young people (ages 10-16) to improve their local environment. Successful groups will win an all-expense paid trip to Sweden, where they will present their projects and agenda for action. Deadline: January 31. > National NRCS Conservation Innovation Grants: The Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) is a voluntary program intended to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies while leveraging federal investment in environmental enhancement and protection, in conjunction with agricultural production. Under CIG, Environmental Quality Incentives Program funds are used to award competitive grants to non-federal governmental or non-governmental organizations, tribes, or individuals. Approximately $20 million is available in 2007 and proposals are due Feb 2. > Colorado EQIP Invasive Species Control Program: NRCS of Colorado is accepting proposals through February 2nd to support existing invasive weed species control programs in targeted areas throughout the state. In 2007, $1 million is available for this initiative through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. Questions about the program may be referred to Tim Carney, Assistant State Conservationist for Programs at 720-544-2805, Cindy Lair, Executive Director, Colorado State Conservation Board at 303-239-4111, or Eric Lane, State Weed Coordinator at 303-239-4182. > North Star Science and Technology Transmitter Grant Program: North Star Science and Technology, LLC and American Bird Conservancy announce the 5th annual North Star Science and Technology Transmitter Grant Program. North Star will award a total of eight satellite transmitters to one or two recipients to study bird migration. The program is open to projects throughout the world. Research that contributes to our knowledge of avian biology and that provides data useful for bird conservation, particularly of threatened species, will receive preference in the selection process. Deadline for proposals is February 2. Questions about the program can be directed to George E. Wallace of the American Bird Conservancy. > Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund: The USFWS is currently seeking proposals from states and U.S. territories interested in securing federal grant assistance to acquire land or plan for endangered species conservation efforts. For fiscal year 2007, the President's budget request for the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund would provide approximately $80 million in grant funding for conservation planning activities and habitat acquisition for federally protected species. Proposals must be submitted to the appropriate service regional offices by February 7. > Colorado Wildlife Conservation Grants: The Colorado Division of Wildlife has made $200,000 available for a competitive grant program to support projects to conserve, restore or enhance Colorado's threatened, endangered or declining wildlife species. The Colorado Wildlife Conservation Grant (CWCG) program is funded through the federal State Wildlife Grant program, with funds available for projects starting in the summer of 2007. Grant applications must be e-mailed or post-marked by February 15. Applications can be mailed to Jim Guthrie at the Colorado Division of Wildlife, 6060 Broadway, Denver, CO 80216, or sent via e-mail to Jim Guthrie. > Kansas Wetlands Reserve Program: The Natural Resources Conservation Service of Kansas has announced the signup cutoff date of March 1 for the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP). The program is continuous, but applications need to be received by the cutoff date to be considered for the fiscal year 2007 funding allocation of $1.2 million. > Five Star Restoration Grants: The Five Star Restoration Grant Program brings together students, conservation corps, other youth groups, citizen groups, corporations, landowners and government agencies to provide environmental education and training through projects that restore wetlands and streams. The program provides challenge grants, technical support and opportunities for information exchange to enable community-based restoration projects. Funding levels are from $5,000 to $20,000 with $10,000 as the average amount awarded per project. Deadline: March 9. Playa Post ©2003 - 2007 Playa Lakes Joint Venture. Submission deadlines are the 15th of each month for publication the following month. Send press releases, comments and subscription inquiries to Debbie Slobe.


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