This proposal requests 2,600,000 in federal grant funds from the fiscal year 2022 cooperative endangered species conservation fund (section 6 of the endangered species act) nontraditional habitat…

The State of California Department of Fish and Wildlife, through its Wildlife Conservation Board division, received a $4 million Project Grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service under the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund program (CFDA 15.615). The grant will support the acquisition of 638.64 acres of conservation lands in eastern Riverside County, California to complement habitat preservation goals under the Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan and Natural Community Conservation Plan. Specifically, funds will be used to acquire parcels adjacent to two designated conservation areas that provide essential connectivity and wildlife movement among protected areas for species such as the federally threatened desert tortoise. The state agency will contribute $1.4 million in non-federal matching funds, for a total project cost of $5.4 million. Land acquisition is expected to be completed by February 2026 to permanently protect highly-developable habitat that supports listed and at-risk species and natural communities in the region.

This proposal requests 2,600,000 in federal grant funds from the fiscal year 2022 cooperative endangered species conservation fund (section 6 of the endangered species act) nontraditional habitat conservation plan land acquisition (hcpla) grants program. The federal grant will be matched by non federal funds totaling 1,400,000 (35 ) of the total project cost. This funding will result in permanent protection of conservation lands totaling 638.64 acres that will complement the coachella valley mshcp nccp in eastern riverside county, california. The proposed acquisition focuses on conserving parcels that support covered listed and at risk species and natural communities. The purpose of the land acquisition proposal is to acquire and permanently protect highlydevelopable but essential habitat on lands immediately adjacent to two conservation areas identified in thecoachella valley mshcp nccp. Specifically, the indio hills joshua tree national park linkage conservation areaand desert tortoise and linkage conservation area . The proposed acquisition property provides essentialconnectivity and wildlife movement functions among protected areas in the region and provides core habitat forthe federally threatened desert tortoise.