Karen Nichols/Daily Inter Lake
Listings of local, regional and federal programs/grants for landowners.
Cost Share Program
Flathead Conservation District offers a cost share program to assist landowners for projects that will help stabilize streambanks. Our 75/25 match can help you get conservation on the ground. Click on the link for the Cost Share Application. We also have a separate riparian buffer mini-grant that can help you establish, enhance or maintain the plants along the water’s edge which will help prevent erosion and protect water quality. Click on the link to access the Riparian Planting Mini-Grant Application. These grant programs operate on a continuous enrollment so applications are accepted at any time. We recommend using as many native plant species as possible for your restoration. Check out the WaterfrontLandscapeBrochure-web for tips on good native species. For more site specific guidance, contact us for help.
Conservation Tree and Shrub Planting
Now is the perfect time to plan for large scale plantings on your property. This is especially true for landowners of newly divided acreage, homeowners associations and new subdivisions with few trees. A decorative border of trees and shrubs can improve the home environment, enhance recreation on your property, increase property value plus serve many conservation purposes.
Windbreaks, shelterbelts and living snow fences are linear plantings of trees and shrubs that slow the wind. In winter, it lowers your home heating costs by keeping the drafts away. A properly located windbreak provides snow control by reducing or eliminating drifting across the driveway or access road, keeping you safer. It can spread snow across your property, increasing spring soil moisture. In summer it deflects hot dry winds, keeping your yard cooler and greener. You may not need to water as frequently.
Shelterbelts can provide a visual barrier or screen, filter dust or noise. Fall color can be beautiful. Throughout the year a shelterbelt provides excellent wildlife habitat. Trees and shrubs provide rest and nest sites, food, shelter and travel corridors for many types of birds and mammals.
Other conservation plantings can be used for reforestation, erosion control or stream-bank stabilization. The Montana Conservation Seedling Nursery produces Montana-hardy plants at low cost for use in conservation plantings. Landowners with more than 10 acres can order directly through them. They require a minimum purchse of 250 seedlings. We combine orders for people with smaller acreage to help you order earlier, which allows you to order below the 250 plant minimum. For general information about the Nursery, see their website at http://www.dnrc.mt.gov/forestry/nurseryor call 406-548-4244.
Plants are trucked to Kalispell for mid-April delivery every year. Supplies are limited, so be sure to order early for best selection. Fall is a good time to order so that you will get what you want. Contact us for info on a 2012 seedling order.
For other sources of native plants, see the native plant sources list. We have also developed 3 seed mixes for the valley using native grass species, which are available at Cenex. You can view them by clicking on current native grass seed mixes.
Small and Rural Public Water System Assistance
Training and technical assistance is available through grants from EPA for protecting our health and water quality in small and rural public water systems.
Training and Technical Assistance for Small and/or Rural Public Water Systems – Request for Proposals
EPA is soliciting proposals to provide training and technical assistance to small and/or rural public water systems to develop and implement source water (ground water and surface water) protection plans and wellhead protection plans. EPA is also soliciting proposals to provide training and technical assistance to small and/or rural public water systems for rule implementation, capacity development, and water systems operations. Public water systems include community water systems, and other small and rural non-community systems such as hospitals, schools, or mobile home parks.
More information about EPA’s efforts to help small public water systems is available at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/smallsys.html
SARE grants
SARE grants are used to increase knowledge about sustainable agricultural practices and to help farmers and ranchers adopt those practices. The Western SARE program administers grants in several categories that help it achieve those aims. Each grant operates on an annual cycle and is selected through a competitive process. http://wsare.usu.edu/grants/
Tree Planting Grants
Global ReLeaf, a program of American Forests (http://www.americanforests.org/), is offering annual grants towards tree planting projects. Grants are available to support rural seedling projects restoring damaged forest ecosystems. Proposals are due January 15 and July 1st. Further information regarding Global ReLeaf Grants including application forms and criteria can be found at: http://www.americanforests.org/global-releaf-projects/submit-a-global-releaf-project-proposal/
Landowner Financial Assistance
Grant money is available to people for a variety of activities that support conservation and our environment. This is a list of programs and links.
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
http://www.nfwf.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Browse_All_Programs