The Tribune Staff Reports

Private landowners can benefit from a new grassland and pollinator habitat development program while improving the environment.

The Department of Natural Resources Division of Fish & Wildlife, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Natural Resources Conservation Service, has officially launched the program, called the Grasslands for Gamebirds & Songbirds initiative.

The program will provide technical and financial assistance to private landowners hoping to improve their properties by developing grassland and pollinator habitat throughout focal regions of the state, according to a news release from the state.

This habitat development is designed to benefit species such as bobwhite quail, ring-necked pheasant, Henslow’s sparrow and loggerhead shrike.

The state was selected for the funding through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program, which is administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

The program has a total budget of more than $2 million. This budget includes multiple funding sources that can provide financial incentives and other benefits to landowners interested in grassland or pollinator habitat development or improvement.

The program is focused in five focal regions across the state. The DNR is actively seeking landowners who are interested in working with biologists to improve grassland habitat on their lands within these focal regions. Financial assistance for creating habitat is available as is the opportunity to work one-on-one with a DNR biologist to achieve landowner goals.

If you are a landowner interested in participating in the initiative or if you would like to support the effort, visit wildlife.in.gov/9467.htm or email Nate Yazel at [email protected].