The goal of this project is to restore and maintain OAK savanna habitat to maintain and expand karner blue butterfly populations and eastern massasauga habitat

Grant Award Summary

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) received a $120,499.73 Project Grant award from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund (CFDA 15.615), effective May 1, 2025 through April 30, 2026. This grant supports habitat restoration and species conservation activities focused on protecting two federally endangered or threatened species: the Karner blue butterfly (KBB) and the eastern massasauga rattlesnake (EMR). The DNR will restore and maintain oak savanna habitat on up to 1,200 acres across Michigan to expand and sustain populations of these species, with particular emphasis on reestablishing historical disturbance regimes that have been disrupted by human activity.

In addition to habitat management activities, the project includes comprehensive population and habitat monitoring on approximately 220 acres to assess the effectiveness of management interventions and increase understanding of KBB population health and distribution. This monitoring component will provide critical data to inform adaptive management decisions and contribute to the broader recovery objectives for these species under the Endangered Species Act.

Additionally KBB habitat and population monitoring will aloow the impacts of management activities to be assessed. Management of savanna habitat is necessary as historical disturbance regimes have been interrupted by human activity thus impacting the federally endangered KBB. This project will expand efforts in michigan to maintain and restore savanna habitat. Michigan DNR staff will improve habitat to benefit KBB and EMR on up to 1200 acres and monitoring of population and habitat characteristics to increase our base understanding of KBB population health and extent will occur on approximately 220 acres.