Idaho Watershed Initiative Awards Grants

The Idaho Watershed Initiative has awarded $227,000 in grants for nine restoration proposals. The Idaho Watershed Initiative Project Review Board reviewed 20 proposals received from a variety of applicants, including private landowners, a city, the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, a land trust, two private businesses, two Soil and Water Conservation districts, the Bear Lake Regional Commission, and Idaho Department of Fish and Game. Funding was approved for nine proposals, including:

• Carl Rey - upland restoration project in Weiser area.
• Marc Brackett - upland restoration project in Brown's Bench area of Twin Falls County.
• Lava Lake Land and Livestock - stream and upland restoration project in Blaine County.
• Conservation Inc. - stream restoration projects on two private ranches along Silver Creek.
• Teton Regional Land Trust - stream restoration project along Fox Creek on private ranch in Teton county.
• BLM - Aspen restoration project in the Burley BLM district.
• BLM - Shrub-steppe restoration project in Minidoka County.
• BLM - mountain shrub restoration project in the Soda Hills.
• U.S. Forest Service - Aspen restoration project on the Palisades Ranger District.

The nine proposals provide $1,197,400 in leveraged matching funds, which equates to a 5:1 matching ratio. The proposals will benefit 40,346 acres and more than two miles of stream bank. The Idaho Watershed Initiative Review Board includes: Cal Groen, director, Idaho Fish and Game; Nate Helm, executive director, Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife-Idaho; Wally Butler, range and livestock specialist, Idaho Farm Bureau Federation; Jeff Burwell, state conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service-Idaho; and Art Talsma, director of restoration and stewardship, The Nature Conservancy, Idaho Chapter. The Idaho Watershed Initiative is a pilot program funded by Idaho Fish and Game. The initiative seeks partnerships to leverage funding for watershed scale restoration projects. This grant program covers the state fiscal year July 2009-June 2010. It funds proposals for restoring watersheds, providing healthy forests, shrub-steppe and wetland landscapes. For information go to: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/wildlife/iwi/, or contact Don Kemner, program coordinator, at 208-287-2748 or email don.kemner@idfg.idaho.gov.