$50,000 available for deer improvement projects in northern Lower Peninsula
Michigan Department of Natural Resources sent this bulletin at 07/15/2015 03:18 PM EDT|
Focus area includes Alcona, Alpena, Crawford, Montmorency, Oscoda, Presque Isle counties. |
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Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 15, 2015
Contact: Brian Piccolo, 989-275-5151 ext. 2030 or Ashley Autenrieth, 989-732-3541 ext. 5044
$50,000 available for deer improvement projects in
northern Lower Peninsula
Grant applications are now being accepted for the Department of Natural Resources’ Deer Private Land Assistance Network (or Deer PLAN), a cooperative grant program designed to support private land deer habitat improvement projects in Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula. The Deer PLAN is funded by Deer Range Improvement Program (DRIP) funds, originating from the sale of deer hunting licenses.
"This is a great opportunity to improve deer habitat for hunters," said DNR wildlife biologist Brian Piccolo. "Proposed projects should strive to improve habitat for deer and help to reduce crop damage and the risk of bovine TB on farms, while building partnerships between the DNR and sportsmen."
In 2016, a total of $50,000 is available through a competitive grant process. This program will have a focus area within the northern Lower Peninsula with the goal of producing tangible, on-the-ground efforts that markedly improve deer habitat. The focus area for 2016 will include Alcona, Alpena, Crawford, Montmorency, Oscoda and Presque Isle counties. Funds will be allocated across the counties based on a competitive scoring process for improvements on private land.
“A focus area will help concentrate projects where we have identified habitat issues, providing greater benefits to deer hunters,” said DNR deer program biologist Ashley Autenrieth.
Proposals for deer habitat improvement projects valued between $2,000 and $10,000 will be considered. A 25-percent match of funds is required for each proposal and can be in the form of any one or more of the following: financial match, cost share, volunteer labor, material contributions or other in-kind support.
Project applications are due by Sept. 1; successful applicants will be notified by Oct. 1. Proposed projects will be evaluated and competitively scored by a selection committee. The complete grant application package and past award information are available online at www.michigan.gov/dnr-grants; select the Deer PLAN link at the bottom of the page.
/Note to editors: An accompanying photo is available below for download. Suggested caption follows.
DNR Deer PLAN grant recipient John Roper watches as grandson Matthew Perrou loads seed into the hopper for planting. Roper involved his grandchildren in his Deer PLAN project to encourage an appreciation for wildlife habitat management at a young age./