Contact: Shelley Tovell-DiBona, Landowner Incentive Program, phone: (302) 653-2880 , e-mail: shelley.tovell@state.de.us
 

Landowners Have Until Feb. 17 to Apply for Funding To Improve Habitat for At-Risk Wildlife Species

Delaware landowners who want to improve wildlife habitat on their property – particularly species of greatest conservation concern such as bobwhite quail - may be able to get technical assistance and funding help from the state Division of Fish and Wildlife.

Because there have been only 16 applications to the Division’s Landowner Incentive Program to date, the deadline has been extended until Feb. 17.

“We received more than $300,000 from the U.S. Department of the Interior to encourage landowners to undertake conservation projects that they otherwise could not afford,” said program coordinator Shelley Tovell-DiBona. “We’d like to use every penny to benefit at-risk species. Our goal for this year is to help private landowners restore or enhance at least 500 acres. Our long-term goal is to keep common species common and off the endangered species list.”

The funds, which were provided to the states through the Landowner Incentive Program administered nationwide by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, can be used for a wide range of projects, from creating shallow wetland habitat for migratory shorebirds to planting trees for Delmarva fox squirrels.

“There are 457 species of plants and wildlife in Delaware whose habitats are threatened by changing land uses and increasing development, and more than 80 percent of available and/or restorable wildlife habitat is on privately owned lands,” according to Tovell-DiBona. “Those landowners are going to play an important role in the future of the state’s wildlife and habitat resources.”

For more information about the Landowner Incentive Program or to receive an application, contact Shelley Tovell-DiBona at 302-653-2880 or Shelley.Tovell@state.de.us.Information on eligible species and habitat is available on- line at http://www.dnrec.state.de.us/nhp/information/SpeciesNeed.shtml.



 

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