The nature conservancy, (hereinafter referred to as the recipient) and the U.S. Fish and wildlife service (hereinafter referred to as the service) are interested in management and restoration…

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) awarded a $1,900,000 Cooperative Agreement under the Partners for Fish and Wildlife (CFDA 15.631) program to The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to facilitate habitat restoration and management projects in the Flint Hills region of Kansas and Oklahoma. The objective is to work cooperatively with private landowners to restore, enhance, and manage native grassland habitat to benefit wildlife species such as grassland nesting birds, migratory birds, and federally listed species. Key activities include removing invasive woody species, implementing prescribed management strategies to increase habitat heterogeneity, improving habitat conditions on large grassland tracts, conducting outreach and education, and demonstrating sustainable management of uplands, wetlands, riparian areas, and streams. The 5-year project runs from January 1, 2025 through September 30, 2029.

The nature conservancy, (hereinafter referred to as the recipient) and the U.S. Fish and wildlife service (hereinafter referred to as the service) are interested in management and restoration practices that protect, restore, and enhance native grassland habitat throughout the flint hills of kansas and oklahoma for federal trust species (i.e., grassland nesting birds, migratory birds, and federally listed species). The purpose of this agreement is to build a funding partnership between the service and the recipient. This partnership will facilitate cooperation between the service and the recipient on various habitat restoration and management projects throughout the flint hills. The objective of this agreement is to work cooperatively with private landowners to restore, enhance, establish, and manage native habitat to benefit wildlife species including, grassland nesting birds (e.g., upland sandpiper, lesser prairie chicken, greater prairie chicken, henslows sparrow, dickcissels, and bobolinks), reptiles (e.g.,texas horned lizard), insects (e.g., american burying beetles, regal fritillary butterflies), plants (e.g.,western prairie fringed orchids), and other native species found throughout the state. The project involves restoring native plant communities and enhancing the ecological functions and values of wildlife habitat by: (a) removing invasive woody species (B) facilitating landscape scale increases in heterogeneity by implementing prescribed management strategies (C) improving habitat conditions on large tracts of intact grassland by reducing fragmentation (D) conducting faciltating outreach and education concerning habitat restoration, and (E) demonstrating sustainable management of uplands, wetlands, riparian areas and streams throughout the flint hills of kansas and oklahoma.