Congrats on the Grants!
Michigan CDs Bring in the Green with 2021 Funding Awards
A variety of 2021 grant awards were announced this week that will contribute much-needed funds to several Michigan Conservation Districts. Our congratulations to all of the successful applicants for the following grant programs!
Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program (MISGP)
This year's Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program (MISGP) has awarded a total of $1,841,100 to Michigan Conservation Districts! This program is designed to address strategic issues of prevention, detection, eradication, and control for both terrestrial and aquatic invasive species in Michigan. An especially pivotal endeavor this year, after last year's funding freeze during the vital invasive species intervention seasons of Spring and Summer 2020.
Our hearty congrats to the awarded Districts: Ottawa, Mason-Lake, Alger, Marquette, Barry, Mecosta, St. Joseph, Antrim, Arenac, Chippewa Luce Mackinac, Iron Baraga, Ingham, Grand Traverse, Jackson, Van Buren, and Genesee Conservation Districts.
Saginaw Watershed = MSUE + Institute of Water Research (IWR) + EPA Sub-Award Grant
A recent partnership between Michigan State University Extention (MSUE), MSU's Institute of Water Research (IWR), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has resulted in a new program to accelerate nutrient management adoption in the Saginaw Watershed.
Funding estimated at over $100,000 will flow into the watershed's associated Conservation Districts to help improve water quality and optimize nutrient inputs in the Saginaw River watershed through an innovative peer-to-peer (PTP) network of farmer-led efforts to lead their own communities towards better nutrient management.
Conservation Districts within the Saginaw River watershed -- Genesee, Gratiot, Saginaw, Shiawassee, and Tuscola -- will provide technical assistance, outreach, education, and one-on-one communication to the farmer-led nodes to reach and encourage the adoption of nutrient management practice implementation among farmers who are not currently using appropriate nutrient management techniques. Districts will also be tasked with tracking phosphorus load reductions.
This project will support numerous regional and local action plans by increasing the number of acres enrolled in nutrient management, reducing target nutrients entering the tributaries of the Great Lakes, and improving the water quality of Saginaw Bay.
Additional partners in this program include MACD (yay!), The Nature Conservancy, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Michigan Farm Bureau, and River Raisin Watershed Council.
U.P. Deer Habitat Improvement Grant Program
Funded by $1.50 from every deer license sold, the U.P. Deer Habitat Improvement Grant Program aims to develop a collaborative approach to deer habitat improvement on private lands across Michigan's Upper Penninsula.
Congrats to the following Districts, who were awarded a total of $55,315 for their District Foresters to participate in this year's program: Iron Baraga, Marquette, Gogebic, Alger, and Schoolcraft Conservation Districts.