Upcoming meetings in Springfield, Joplin will offer information on how to apply for grants.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Good conservation practices don’t only apply to remote forests and prairies. Conservation helps communities, too.
As urban areas continue to develop, it’s important that this growth be compatible with wildlife habitats, streams and other natural features of our outdoors world. That’s because conservation pays by enriching our economy and quality of life.
The Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) Community Conservation Grant program promotes urban wildlife habitat improvement, encourages organizational partnerships for land stewardship and supports the training of partner staff to manage natural landscapes. This program is available to government entities and non-profit organizations. The application period for these grants begins in June.
Groups in southwest Missouri interested in applying for these grants can get information at two meetings in June. A meeting will be held 9 a.m.-11 a.m. on June 10 at MDC’s Southwest Regional Office, 2630 N. Mayfair Ave. in Springfield. Another meeting will be held 9 a.m.-11 a.m. on June 17 at the Wildcat Glades Conservation and Audubon Center, 201 W. Riviera Drive, in Joplin. To register for either of these upcoming meetings, contact MDC Urban Wildlife Biologist Ashley Schnake at 417-895-6881, ext. 1637 or Ashley.Schnake@mdc.mo.gov.
Projects eligible for funding include (but aren’t limited to) stream restoration, prairie or native warm season grass reconstruction, forest management or wetland enhancement. Funding may also be used for the training of partner organization staff. All project applications should have a long-term management plan. Requests for Community Conservation Grants should not exceed $10,000. Preference will be given to projects that involve cost-share or in-kind contributions.
The recipients of this year’s MDC Community Conservation Grants in southwest Missouri are:
- Wildcat Glades Conservation and Audubon Center; for natural area restoration at Redings Mill
- City of Springfield; for native plant habitat on South Creek, adjacent to the South Creek greenways trail
- Watershed Committee of the Ozarks; for native habitat improvement at Valley Water Mill Park
- Chert Glades Master Naturalist Chapter; for establishment and maintenance of butterfly garden/Monarch waystation at Cunningham Park
- Ozark Regional Land Trust; for work done at Sarcoxie Cave and Spring natural area.
.Information about improving urban wildlife habitat can also be found at mdc.mo.gov.
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