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Missoula lands team: five-year wildlife habitat grant and Clark Fork restoration moving forward
Summary
Staff said the program has a five-year Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program award that will fund seasonal restoration staff and reported ongoing Clark Fork access restoration construction with additional phases planned this year.
Missoula Conservation Lands staff reported a newly awarded Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program (WIP) grant and outlined active restoration projects along the Clark Fork River.
Peter, program specialist, told CLAC the program received a WIP grant in partnership with Missoula County Department of Ecology, the Forest Service, the University of Montana and local land trusts and private landowners. The award will provide "a little over $78,000 a year for five years" primarily to fund seasonal staffing for integrated vegetation management, seeding and invasive species treatment, Peter said.
Peter said the grant will allow the program to roughly double the acreage treated annually for integrated vegetation management and restoration seeding and will support multiyear implementation rather than single-season actions. He noted the grant does not fund tree planting or forestry operations; it is targeted at invasive-plant control, seeding and restoration tasks.
On the Clark Fork, Peter updated the committee on the Clark Fork Access Restoration Project. He said phase 1 construction was under way and expected to open in June and that phase 2 work on additional access sites could start as early as this fall. Staff said the plan is to open improved access points before closing and restoring informal social-access sites that people currently use along the bank.
Peter also said the program has applied for additional state grants, including a recent pre-proposal totaling $436,000 for expanded forest restoration near key infrastructure; staff said they will learn whether the city is invited to submit a full proposal.
Why it matters: The multi-year WIP award increases the program's capacity for restoration and invasive-species work and funds seasonal personnel. The Clark Fork restoration work will add constructed access and then focus on restoring informal use sites to reduce resource damage.
Committee members asked about schedule and how volunteers will be used for restoration maintenance; Peter said volunteers will be a key part of maintenance and monitoring once restoration sites are closed to informal use.
