Cedar Rapids, IA, October 24, 2024 –FarWide Conservation Trust and its numerous partners are excited to announce they have received a $2.3 million grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to conserve important wetland habitats in eastern Iowa. The grant will be used to help conserve over 1,100 acres of wildlife habitat, including almost 650 acres of wetland habitat, scattered among 12 different project sites. Steve Donovan, the Executive Director of FarWide Conservation Trust, is looking forward to breaking ground on the many projects included in the grant. “This is the first large grant that we have received through the North American Wetlands Conservation Act and we couldn’t be more excited about the important conservation work that the grant will help us accomplish,” said Donovan.
FarWide Conservation Trust is a non-profit conservation organization established three years ago and dedicated to the conservation of fish and wildlife habitat while also working to expand opportunities for the public to enjoy a variety of outdoor recreational activities, including hunting and fishing. The North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) is the only federal grant program dedicated to the conservation of wetland habitats for migratory birds.
Several of the projects included in this grant will include acquisition and restoration efforts on public lands that will not only conserve important wildlife habitat, but also provide additional opportunities for people to enjoy the great outdoors. Matt McQuillen is a local conservation leader who has been instrumental in developing a strong partnership network that has completed many important habitat acquisition and restoration projects over the years, including projects in this proposal. That network of partners was instrumental in the success of this grant. “Grant and matching funds included in the proposal will help acquire hundreds of acres of new public lands, including proposed additions to existing Wildlife Areas such as Green Island Wildlife Management Area, an Iowa Department of Natural Resources property in Jackson County,” said McQuillen. “We could not complete these projects without the great support of local conservation groups who are providing essential matching dollars that helped us secure this grant. These important groups included Twin Rivers and Dubuqueland and many other chapters of Pheasants Forever, Whitetails Unlimited chapters, and local Sportsmen’s clubs. Support from these local groups is what really drives the success of local conservation projects,” added McQuillen.
Other partners in the proposal include the National Wild Turkey Federation, Ducks Unlimited, the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, several county conservation boards, private landowners, the Eastern Iowa Conservation Foundation, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, TC Energy, the Dubuque County Conservation Society, the Jones County Community Foundation, and several others.
One of the biggest habitat restoration projects undertaken with grant funds will be on the Muskrat Slough Wildlife Area in Jones County. A dilapidated water control structure will be replaced that will allow enhanced management on the 360-acre wetland. Curt Kemmerer, a wildlife biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, is leading efforts to complete the project on Muskrat Slough. “This Wildlife Area is one of the largest managed public wetlands in eastern Iowa and provides tremendous wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities. The replacement of the old water control structure will give us the ability to properly manage wetlands and dramatically improve habitat conditions for waterfowl and other wildlife,” he stated. Donovan expects work on the projects included in the grant to begin in early 2025 and be completed by the end of 2026.