Ice Age Trail Alliance

VOLUNTEER AND TRAINING SUPPORT FOR ICE AGE NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL

ICE AGE NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL

ADMIN OF DEVELOPMENT OF ICE AGE NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL

CONSERVATION RECOVERY INITIATIVE GRANT: MORAINAL SANDS RECOVERY UNIT

J6281 08 0001 MOD 6 / H6281 08 0001 ICE AGE NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL - ADMINISTRATION & DEVELOPMENT

THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGREEMENT IS TO SUPPORT THE ACQUISITION, DEVELOPMENT, OPERATION, MAINTENANCE, AND PROTECTION OF THE ICE AGE NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL (IATR) THROUGH A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AND THE ICE AGE TRAIL ALLIANCE. THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THIS AGREEMENT ARE TO: (1) ENCOURAGE PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION IN THE ACQUISITION, PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT, PROTECTION, OPERATION, AND MAINTENANCE OF IATR (2)ACCELERATE THE EFFORT TO ACQUIRE AND DEVELOP THE TRAIL BY SECURING AND SUPPORTING PRIVATE SECTOR INVOLVEMENT (3)INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS AND USE OF THE TRAIL AND PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR ITS COMPLETE DEVELOPMENT (4)SUPPORT AND STRENGTHEN THE STAFF CAPABILITIES AND VOLUNTEER EFFORTS OF THE RECIPIENT IN TAKING A LEADING ROLE WITHIN THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN DEVELOPING, MAINTAINING, PROTECTING AND ENCOURAGING USE OF THE TRAIL.

THE ICE AGE TRAIL ALLIANCE (IATA) AND THE U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE PARTNERS FOR FISH AND WILDLIFE PROGRAM (PFW) SEE A GROWING DEMAND FOR PLANTING NATIVE PLANTS ON PRIVATE AND PUBLICLANDS. LAND STEWARDSHIP CONTINUES TO GROW IN WISCONSIN AS MORE AND MORE LANDOWNERS, NONGOVERNMENTAL CONSERVATION GROUPS AND LAND TRUSTS ARE INTERESTED TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF HABITAT FOR WILDLIFE ON THEIR LANDS. GIVEN THE DEMAND FOR THIS WORK, LIMITED SEED AVAILABILITY, AND HIGH COST FOR PURCHASING SEED, THE IATA AND PFW ARE INTERESTED IN COLLABORATING WITH THE PLANT CONSERVATION ALLIANCE (PCA) TO PROMOTE THE NATIONAL SEED STRATEGY FOR REHABILITATION AND RESTORATION BY DEVELOPING A NATIVE SEED NURSERY, CONTRIBUTING TOWARDS HEALTHY PLANT COMMUNITIES AND SUSTAINABLE ECOSYSTEMS. THIS PARTNERSHIP EFFORT IS IN LOCK STEP WITH EXECUTIVE ORDER 14008, THE COMMITMENT TO CONSERVE 30 OF AMERICAS LANDS AND WATERS BY 2030, THE 2021 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (DOI) INVASIVE SPECIES STRATEGIC PLAN (2021) AND ADDRESSES NATIONAL PRIORITIES SUCH AS CLIMATE CHANGE.IN WISCONSIN, THE PFW IN PARTNERSHIP WITH IATA ARE COLLABORATING TO INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF PRAIRIE AND OAK SAVANNA PLANT SPECIES FOR HABITAT RESTORATION EFFORTS IN SOUTHERN AND SOUTHCENTRAL WISCONSIN. OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, IATA AND PFW HAVE COMPLETED OVER (50) HABITATRESTORATION PROJECTS TO RESTORE, ENHANCE AND PROTECT PRAIRIE AND OAK SAVANNA HABITATS IN SOUTHERN AND SOUTHCENTRAL WISCONSIN, TWO OF THE MOST IMPERILED ECOSYSTEMS IN THE STATE. COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS HAVE LEVERAGED OVER ( 850,000) OF FEDERAL AND PRIVATE FUNDING TO RESTORE AND ENHANCE (500) ACRES OF PRAIRIE AND OAK SAVANNA HABITAT. THIS EFFORT HAS LED TO COLONIZATION OF NEW SITES FOR THE FEDERALLY ENDANGERED KARNER BLUE BUTTERFLY AND RUSTY PATCHED BUBBLE BEE INCREASED NECTAR SOURCES FOR MONARCHS AND OTHER POLLINATORS, IMPROVED GRASSLAND HABITAT FOR NUMEROUS IMPERILED GRASSLAND BIRDS TO INCLUDE HENSLOWS, VESPER AND GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS, BOBOLINKS AND MEADOWLARKS AND WORKING IN RURAL LANDSCAPES, STIMULATED RURAL ECONOMIES USING LOCAL VENDORS AND CONTRACTORS DO TO MOST OF THE RESTORATION WORK. CURRENTLY, BOTH ORGANIZATIONS COLLECT LOCAL ECOTYPE SEED FROM REMNANT PRAIRIES OR RESTORATION PROJECTS WHERE THE SEED ORIGIN IS KNOWN. FOR EXAMPLE, IN 2022, PFW AND VOLUNTEERS COLLECTED 52LBS OF LUPINE, HOST PLANT FOR THE FEDERALLY ENDANGERED KARNER BLUE BUTTERFLY, AT A VALUE OF 45,000. COLLECTION WAS FROM ENDEMIC NATIVE ECOTYPE SEED AND IS USED TO SEED FUTURE KBB SITES. IN ADDITION, OTHER NECTAR FORBS WERE COLLECTED AS WELL. THESE EFFORTS COULD BE ACCELERATED WITH APPROPRIATE FUNDING AND INFRASTRUCTURE CAPABILITIES. IATA IS DEDICATED TO CONSERVING, CREATING MAINTAINING AND PROMOTING THE ICE AGE NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE. THE IATA OWNS AND MANAGES MANY PROPERTIES ALONG ITS CONNECTED THOUSAND MILES OF TRAIL. RECENTLY, THE IATA PURCHASED A PROPERTY FOR EXPANSION OF THE ICE AGE TRAIL WHICH HOSTS APPROXIMATELY 20 ACRES OF AGRICULTURAL LANDS THAT WILL BE CONVERTED TO PRAIRIE BEDS FOR SEED COLLECTING. IN ADDITION, THE PROPERTY HAS A 50 X110-FOOT POLE BARN, IDEAL FOR SETTING UP A SEED CLEANING FACILITY. THIS EFFORT FITS INTO THE OBJECTIVES OF THE NATIONAL SEED STRATEGY, SUCCESS IS BEING ACHIEVED THROUGH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONWIDE NETWORKS OF BOTANISTS, SEED COLLECTORS, RESEARCHERS TO DEVELOP SEED FARMERS TO GROW NATIVE SEED NURSERIES AND SEED STORAGE FACILITIES TO SUPPLY ADEQUATE QUANTITIES OF APPROPRIATE SEED AND RESTORATION ECOLOGISTS TO STUDY AND IMPLEMENT RESTORATION TECHNIQUES, NATIONAL SEED STRATEGY PROGRESS REPORT, 2015-2020.

FISH AND WILDLIFE ACT

MUIR PRESERVE RESTORATION

PRESERVE HABITAT RESTORATION

WIPLO-PFW COOP AGRNT IATA THIS AGREEMENT REMOVES INVASIVE CEDAR TREES AND OTHER SPECIES FROM HIGH QUALITY PRAIRIE REMNANT ALONG THE ICE AGE TRAIL. SUGGESTED VENDOR: ICE AGE TRAIL ALLIANCE, P.O. BOX 128, CROSS PLAINS, WI 53528 DUNS: 120765412 HEADER TEXT: 4/12/2018 - APPROVAL RECEIVED FROM HQ 4/13/2018. THIS IS A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT VENDOR CODE 71300120 RECIPIENT ENROLLED IN ASAP. ***PLEASE EMAIL A COPY OF THE AWARD LETTER TO LORIE BROWN & MIKE ENGEL - LAB

STEINBOCK TREE REMOVAL

HARTLAND MARSH SAVANNA RESTORATION