Forging partnerships for habitat restoration.

The majority of our Nation's fish and wildlife resources are found on privately owned lands. Because the habitat needs of most endangered and threatened species cannot be met solely on public lands, voluntary partnerships with private landowners are essential. Fortunately, we have an effective tool to provide landowners incentives for cooperative conservation--the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program.

The mission of the Partners Program is to "efficiently achieve voluntary habitat restoration on private lands, through financial and technical assistance for the benefit of Federal Trust Species." Whether implementing projects ourselves or providing assistance to others, we have helped thousands of private landowners to restore and conserve important fish and wildlife habitats on their lands. Cumulatively, these lands contribute significantly to the conservation of listed and candidate species as well as keeping common species common.

The Partners Program has developed more than 1,200 agreements directly with private landowners to restore over 2.3,000 acres (9,308 hectares) of wetlands, 1,200 miles (1,930 kilometers) of rivers and streams, and over 100,000 acres (405,000 ha) of upland habitats for the direct benefit of listed and candidate species. Field biologists in all 50 states and U.S. Territories work one-on-one with private landowners and other partners to plan, implement, and monitor their projects.

Partners Program biologists help landowners find sources of funding and guide them through the permitting process, as necessary. This personal attention and follow-through is a significant strength of the Program. The biologists provide expert technical assistance directly to private landowners on the best and most cost-efficient practices to restore and manage fish and wildlife habitat on their lands. In many instances, they also provide cost-share financial assistance through a cooperative agreement. Any privately-owned land is potentially eligible for restoration.

Here I present a few of the successful habitat improvement projects benefiting endangered and threatened species in partnership with private landowners:

In 2004 and 2005, Partners staff at the Service's Rock Island (Illinois) Field Office worked with the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation and two private landowners on a habitat restoration project for the Topeka shiner (Notropis topeka) along Cedar Creek in Greene County, Iowa. Endangered species recovery funds paid for the design and construction. The project restored the hydrology of an oxbow in the Cedar Creek floodplain and provided permanent off-stream refugia and potential spawning habitat for Topeka shiners. It also reconnected the downstream end of the oxbow to Cedar Creek to allow Topeka shiners to disperse into the watershed.

In the late 1990's, the Fish and Wildlife Service and its conservation partners identified a privately-owned remnant of native tallgrass prairie. It had survived despite a history of overgrazing, introductions of non-native forage grass species, and natural invasions of non-prairie plants. Surveys lead researchers to discover a small population of a threatened plant, the prairie bush clover (Lespedeza leptostachya). The landowner agreed to modify his land use practices to promote the species' recovery. These modifications include a voluntary cessation of grazing, the mechanical removal of invasive woody species, the use of prescribed fire to maintain open habitat and the control of invasive herbaceous species. Partial funding for the revised management was provided by the Service. As a result of the project, the prairie bush clover population has expanded three-fold. In addition, populations of state species of concern have also expanded. The landowner continues to gain economic benefits from the tract by harvesting and marketing local seed from the portions of the prairie that do not contain the Federal or State species of concern.

A partnership effort with the Service's Nevada Fish and Wildlife Office, Nevada Department of Wildlife, and private landowners created a refugium for the endangered White River spinedace (Lepidomeda albivallis). Partners worked together to restore spawning and feeding habitat, improve water temperature, prevent non-native fish invasion and restore adult fish passage at Indian Spring in the White River Valley of White Pine County. In addition, the partners restored 45 acres (18 ha) of alkali desert riparian habitat for migratory birds and enhanced habitat for waterfowl and wading birds. The restoration efforts also resulted in a 300 percent increase in the endemic Preston White River springfish (Crenichthys baileyi albivallis) and provided the private landowner with enough water to maintain farming operations.

In Montana, the streams that bisect the Two Creeks Ranch provide important habitat for bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus), westslope cutthroat trout (Salmo clarki lewisi), grizzly bears (Ursus arctos), and many other creatures. Poor grazing management in the past affected the riparian vegetation as well as the width, depth and condition of the streams. The Partners Program has been working with the ranch managers since 1994 on a variety of best management practices that both benefit the ranch and its wildlife. In 2005, we constructed 1.7 miles (2.7 km) of fence along both Monture Creek and McCabe Creek and developed off-site water for livestock use. This project will significantly improve riparian conditions and water quality while improving livestock distribution and water availability.

A project to benefit Utah prairie dogs (Cynomys parvidens) entailed fencing 180 acres (73 ha) and treating 74 acres (30 ha) to provide optimum habitat for the reintroduction of this threatened species. The treatment included the removal of shrub vegetation and replanting with native plants. A Safe Harbor Agreement, prepared in a cooperative effort involving a conservation group, Environmental Defense, and the Service's Salt Lake City Field Office, will give the property owner assurances regarding future Endangered Species Act requirements.

For more information about the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, we invite you to visit http://www.fws. gov/partners.

Leopoldo Miranda-Castro is a biologist with the Service's Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program (leopoldo-miranda@ fws.gov).