Preliminary Eligibility:

All private landowners who wish to restore or enhance fish or wildlife habitat.

Purpose:

To provide technical and financial assistance to private landowners who wish to restore or enhance fish and wildlife habitat, with emphasis on habitats for endangered and threatened species, migratory birds, and anadromous fish.

Management Available:

In Georgia, there is an emphasis on longleaf pine habitat restoration and enhancement (including understory restoration), stream/riparian habitat restoration, and endangered and threatened species habitat restoration and improvement. Stream/riparian habitat restoration usually consists of livestock exclusion fencing and alternate water sources, revegetation of riparian areas, or repairing severely eroding streams.

Technical/Financial Assistance:

Cost-share funds of up to 100 percent can be paid (maximum of $25,000), however, the landowner or some other source is usually asked to cover about half the restoration costs. Technical assistance can also be provided, at no cost to landowner. Landowner must maintain restored habitat for a minimum of 10 years after installation.

How to Get Started:

Contact the USFWS office in your area - Brunswick (912) 265-9336, Columbus (706) 544-6422, or Athens (706) 613-9493.  Applications are accepted throughout the year with rankings and selections being made periodically.