The Idaho Watershed Initiative Project Review Board reviewed 20 proposals received from a variety of applicants, including private landowners, a city, the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, a land trust, two private businesses, two Soil and Water Conservation districts, the Bear Lake Regional Commission, and Idaho Department of Fish and Game.

Funding was approved for nine proposals, including:

· Carl Rey – upland restoration project in Weiser area.

· Marc Brackett – upland restoration project in Brown’s Bench area of Twin Falls County.

· Lava Lake Land and Livestock – stream and upland restoration project in Blaine County.

· Conservation Inc. – stream restoration projects on two private ranches along Silver Creek.

· Teton Regional Land Trust – stream restoration project along Fox Creek on private ranch in Teton county.

· BLM – Aspen restoration project in the Burley BLM district.

· BLM – Shrub-steppe restoration project in Minidoka County.

· BLM – mountain shrub restoration project in the Soda Hills.

· U.S. Forest Service – Aspen restoration project on the Palisades Ranger District.

The nine proposals provide $1,197,400 in leveraged matching funds, which equates to a 5:1 matching ratio. The proposals will benefit 40,346 acres and more than two miles of stream bank.

The Idaho Watershed Initiative Review Board includes: Cal Groen, director, Idaho Fish and Game; Nate Helm, executive director, Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife-Idaho; Wally Butler, range and livestock specialist, Idaho Farm Bureau Federation; Jeff Burwell, state conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service-Idaho; and Art Talsma, director of restoration and stewardship, The Nature Conservancy, Idaho Chapter.

The Idaho Watershed Initiative is a pilot program funded by Idaho Fish and Game. The initiative seeks partnerships to leverage funding for watershed scale restoration projects. This grant program covers the state fiscal year July 2009-June 2010. It funds proposals for restoring watersheds, providing healthy forests, shrub-steppe and wetland landscapes.

For information go to: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/wildlife/iwi/, or contact Don Kemner, program coordinator, at 208-287-2748 or email don.kemner@idfg.idaho.gov.

News Source: Idaho F&G - Feb. 02, 2010