The southwest louisiana coastal marshes and prairies project will utilize partners for fish and wildlife funding to enhance and restore coastal marshes, coastal prairies, and associated seasonal…

The southwest louisiana coastal marshes and prairies project will utilize partners for fish and wildlife funding to enhance and restore coastal marshes, coastal prairies, and associated seasonal wetlands for the benefit of waterfowl, federally listed wildlife species, and state listed species of greatest conservation need (SGCN) in louisiana. We anticipate work through the louisiana waterfowl project (LWP), louisiana mottled duck project (LMP), and coastal grasslands restoration incentive program (C-GRIP) will positively impact federally threatened, endangered, and candidate species such as the eastern black rail (laterallus jamaicensis), rufa red knot (calidris canutus rufa), whooping crane (grus americana), and the monarch butterfly (danaus plexippus). Project activities completed through LWP, LMP, and C-GRIP include technical and financial assistance to landowners to improve habitat management infrastructure, incentivize beneficial conservation practices, and enhance and restore native habitats for the benefit of native wildlife. We expect that 450 acres of habitat will be enhanced through LWP, 1,000 acres of habitat will be enhanced through LMP, and three landowner projects will be assisted through C-GRIP as a direct result of the funding requested for this project. The intended beneficiaries of this project include private landowners and the coastal marshes, prairies, and seasonal wetlands they enhance and restore for native wildlife.