The fundamental objective of these projects is to aid in the recovery of the focal species(rhus michauxii, silene polypetala) by improving and protecting occupied and suitable habitat

This federal Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service under the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund (CFDA 15.615) totals $125,004.02 and will be implemented from October 1, 2024 to June 30, 2026. The primary objective is to aid in the recovery of two federally-listed plant species, Rhus michauxii and Silene polypetala, by improving and protecting their occupied and suitable habitat. The two planned projects, the Walton Way Conservancy Restoration Project and the Oconee County Veterans Park Outreach Project, will focus on maintaining optimal soil moisture and light regimes, reducing erosion, converting improved turf to native grass, removing invasive vegetation, improving habitat quality, and bolstering public education and outreach on rare plant conservation. The expected outcomes include increasing or maintaining the occupancy or abundance of the focal species over time and increasing public interest in plant habitat conservation.

The two planned projects walton way conservancy restoration project (wwcrp) and oconee county veterans park outreach project (ocvpop)will be designed to help maintain optimal soil moisture and light regimes, reduce erosion, convert improved turf to native grass, remove competing invasive vegetation, improve habitat quality, and bolster public education and outreach on rare plant conservation. Public education and outreach are important in these project locations because public awareness of and resource allocation to support rare plant conservation and recovery work are low. The expected outcomes from these projects include increasing or maintaining the occupancy or abundance of the focal federally listed and at-risk species over time in and around the areas where habitat enhancement work occurs and increasing public interest in plant habitat conservation.