Questions and Answers~13.pdf

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS

DIVISION OF FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE

MASSWILDLIFE HABITAT MANAGEMENT GRANT PROGRAM

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Date: 9/12/2018

Question: I am interested in your Landowner Grant program. I am curious, however, if there are resources for assessment/planning. The land I have in question has a very interesting soil profile, I think it may have been damaged by agriculture in the past?? The plants that are growing there are unlike what is around the area. It’s an open area with pine, hemlock, and deciduous trees around the edges, near the

So River in Conway, MA.

I am interested in planning habitat for birds and/or pollinators, but I am really interested to know what would be the most beneficial use of this land. Do you know which agencies/ people would be the best to talk with about making an assessment/ plan?

Answer: MassWildlife does have a private lands wildlife biologist that does help private landowners with management of their property. However, MassWildlife employees are not able to help you with the application for the grant program. Any feedback or advice supplied by Mr. Conlin (if he is able to help) is incidental to this grant program and any application you may choose to submit for this potential funding.

Date: 9/19/2018

Question: If the management goals for the parcel changes in a few years, are there legal requirements to pay back money received from this grant program for management conducted.

Answer: No. This program is for conservation land, but if that conservation land’s management goals change over time, there is no obligation to repay MassWildlife funds reimbursed under this program.

Date: 9/20/2018

Question: I'm with a Town Invasive Species Committee and the Conservation Commission. We are contemplating two projects, and would like to know whether either or both might be applicable to receive one of your grants.

1 - Pre-emptive treatment of about 20 ash trees against the emerald ash borer. These trees are in an area a bit more wild than a typical city park, but not in natural woods. The area is owned by the town and managed by the ConCom.

2 - Herbicide treatment targeted against black swallowart in an open field. This is in a town-owned conservation area managed by the ConCom.

The reason I'm asking is because it's not clear how you interpret "enhance habitat". Treating against EAB, for example, doesn't really enhance habitat, although it prevents the habitat from deteriorating. On the other hand, one of your examples explicitly mentions controlling invasive plants. What about invasive insects? As I'm sure you understand, preparing grant applications is significant work, especially for volunteers, so we would like to know our intended use of the grant money would be appropriate before continuing.

Answer: MassWildlife cannot tell you whether to apply or not, and the way a proposal scores is solely up to the scoring committee. The intent of the grant program is to create/improve wildlife habitat to benefit wildlife species

(primarily game species).

MassWildlife would encourage you to look at the scoring/ranking criteria sheet that is posted on CommBuys. This is the exact ranking sheet that the scoring committee uses when evaluating proposals. It is probably the best information you will be able to review to give yourself an idea on whether to submit, or not submit, a proposal.

Date: 9/26/2018

Question: Two different properties are owned by the same organization, we want to do management on both of them, may they be combined in the same proposal?

Answer: Yes. However, be aware, if there are differences in the proposed activity, or the habitat, or the management rules of the two properties, the properties may receive different scores under certain ranking criteria. In this case, a total combined weighted score for the criteria would be used in ranking the application. Due to this, there may be times where combining the parcels may be to an advantage to the applicant (a stronger proposed project on a parcel raises the other parcel(s) to the point of receiving funding for the entire proposal), but it may also be the case that the less strong parcel results in the proposal not being funded at all.