The primary purpose of this cooperative agreement (agreement) is to continue a strong and productive partnership between the service and the trust to facilitate habitat conservation work on private…

The U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) awarded a $400,000 Cooperative Agreement to the North Dakota Natural Resources Trust (Trust) under the Partners for Fish and Wildlife program (CFDA 15.631). The primary objective is to implement habitat conservation projects in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of North Dakota, and potentially South Dakota and Montana if needed, to benefit breeding bird populations. Key project activities include restoring and enhancing wetland and grassland habitats through practices such as wetland restorations, grassland plantings, rotational grazing systems, and alternative livestock watering systems. All projects will be facilitated through site-specific agreements with private landowners. This funding will allow the Trust to continue its long-standing partnership with FWS to deliver voluntary habitat conservation work on private lands, which provides benefits to landowners, local communities, and bird populations, while also addressing climate change through carbon storage.

The primary purpose of this cooperative agreement (agreement) is to continue a strong and productive partnership between the service and the trust to facilitate habitat conservation work on private lands in the PPR, including those that are protected by service perpetual grassland or wetland easements. The primary objective is to implement projects in the PPR portion of north dakota, however funds may also be used to complete eligible projects in the PPR of south dakota and montana, as needed, to meet PPR-wide objectives. A special emphasis will be placed on restoring or enhancing wetland and grassland habitats that are vital to breeding populations of a wide variety of bird guilds. Primary habitat conservation practices to be jointly implemented by the service and the trust include, but are not limited to, wetland restorations, grassland restorations (seedings), rotational grazing systems, and alternative watering systems for livestock. All individual habitat projects will be facilitated by site-specific private landowner agreements (plas) as approved and administered by the services partners for fish and wildlife (PFW) program. The habitat projects completed pursuant to this agreement will simultaneously provide benefits to private landowners, local rural communities, and populations of a wide variety of bird species. All these actions and associated results will have direct and enduring benefits to the public in the form of healthier bird populations and will help improve water quality and air quality while helping address climate change through long-term carbon storage. Restoration and enhancement of grassland and wetland habitats from this project will contribute towards meeting population and habitat objectives identified in the services 2022-2026 mountain-prairie region strategic plan for the partners for fish and wildlife program, the north dakota state wildlife action plan and the prairie pothole joint venture implementation plan and ppjv ND state tactical plan