BANGOR – Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns has announced that the Wildlife Management Institute has been awarded $198,000 to develop and evaluate technological tools for fish and wildlife habitat improvements. The grant opportunity was made available by and is administered by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Up to $1.7 million was available through competitive grants. Of the many proposals received in response to the request for proposals, the Wildlife Management Institute was one of 12 partnerships nationwide to receive a grant.

The conservation service provides leadership in a partnership effort to help America’s private land owners and managers conserve their soil, water and other national resources.

The institute, with a regional office for New England in Vermont, has developed a Woodcock Initiative to develop demonstration areas in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont. In Maine, demonstration areas are being evaluated or planned for Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge in Oxford County and Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge in Calais.

The initiative proposes an innovative approach to help solve a regional shortage of young forest and shrubland habitats by focusing landowner attention on management for American Woodcock habitat requirements.

Visit www.me.nrcs.usda.gov for more information on activities and programs. Visit www.wildlifemanagement.org for more information on the institute.