Reversing the downward trend of our grassland wildlife species can be accomplished by restoring native warm season bunch grasses forbs and pollinator plants on tamed pasture or hayland

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has awarded a $150,000 Cooperative Agreement under the Partners for Fish and Wildlife (CFDA 15.631) program to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). The grant aims to reverse the downward trend of grassland wildlife species in Texas by restoring native warm-season bunch grasses, forbs, and pollinator plants on tamed pastures and hayland. Through this 5-year program, TPWD will work collaboratively with USFWS to enroll private landowners as sub-recipients and provide them with incentives to convert exotic grass sites to native vegetation. The habitat improvements are expected to benefit numerous migratory and resident grassland bird species, monarch butterflies, and other pollinators. The program promotes a conservation stewardship ethic among participating landowners and supports TPWD's efforts to enhance the overall Texas landscape for outdoor recreation and wildlife conservation.

Such efforts will improve groundlevel cover conditions provide essential nesting habitat and enhance the overall plant diversity benefiting numerous migratory and resident grassland game and nongame bird species monarch butterflies and other pollinator species. The pastures for upland birds PUB program will provide incentives to texas landowners whose goal is to convert exotic grass sites to native bunchgrasses and forbs. Texas parks wildlife department tpwd and recipient will work collaboratively with the U.S. Fish wildlife service USFWS to enroll private landowners subrecipients and participants into the partners for fish wildlife PUB program via subrecipient participant agreements. This program fills a niche for landowners that may not qualify for other costshare programs supporting native grass restoration. Additionally properly managed native warm season grasses may provide suitable forage production and protein levels required for livestock. This program benefits landowners whose goals include habitat improvement for butterflies quail turkey migratory songbirds whitetailed deer pollinators texas horned lizard other nongame wildlife wildlife tax valuation sustainable forage production or preserving texas native prairie legacy. The broader public benefits from native prairie restoration through improved water quality groundwater recharge carbon sequestration erosion control outdoor education and recreational opportunities. The PUB program will promote a conservation stewardship ethic through subrecipient participant agreements with private landowners directed at improving habitat for migratory wildlife and resident game and nongame species using areas enrolled in PUB. Habitat improvements are accomplished through conservation science which determine the best practices to manage land and water resources and determine adept management actions. The program supports tpwd and private landowners in improving the overall texas landscape to create outdoor recreational opportunities. Finally through being a better neighbor with those closest to our resources the program helps to promote the efforts of our other conservation partners.