Habitat Conservation Projects Approved

Projects that will help restore plant and flora habitat and help protect the roseate tern and river otter are among the 14 wildlife conservation projects approved for a total of almost $106,000 in funding under the province's Habitat Conservation Fund this year.

The fund -- which is generated through the required purchase of a $2 wildlife habitat stamp on all hunting licenses in Nova Scotia -- is designed to help finance projects that protect and enhance wildlife habitats.

Projects can receive up to 75 per cent on a cost-shared basis, to a maximum of $25,000, but must fall into one of four categories: purchase of land for the benefit of wildlife, habitat improvement, wildlife habitat research and related education programs.

"Hunters in Nova Scotia support this fund, that is used to sustain our wildlife and wildlife habitat," said Richard Hurlburt, Minister of Natural Resources. "All of the funds collected are used directly for habitat conservation."

Since the program was initiated in 2001, almost $500,000 has been directed to wildlife conservation.

The project applications are reviewed and recommendations are made by an independent board of directors consisting of members from hunting, naturalist and academic associations.

The fund has been getting more requests each year and many worthy projects go unfunded. As a result, the fund's board of directors requested an increase in the fee for the wildlife habitat stamp from $2 to $3. The change will be effective for this fall's hunting season.

Applications for the 2006 Habitat Conservation Fund can be submitted to the Department of Natural Resources, wildlife division, between Dec. 1, 2005 and Jan. 31, 2006. Submission guidelines and application forms can be obtained from any Department of Natural Resources office or on the website at www.gov.ns.ca/natr/wildlife/habfund .

Information on the 2005 recipients and on past projects is also available on this website.

Successful projects and recipients of funding for 2005 are:

• Small Marsh Restoration in Annapolis Valley, Ducks Unlimited
• Mercury in River Otter, Sarah Spencer
• Mahone Bay Roseate Tern Habitat Recovery Project, Bluenose Coastal Action Foundation
• Woodcock Habitat Enhancement Project, Woodcock Conservation Society
• Coastlines Natural History Column, Ecology Action Centre
• Habitat Friendly Farming, Clean Annapolis River Project
• Plants on the Edge: Securement and Stewardship of Atlantic Coastal Plain Flora Habitat (Phase 2), Nova Scotia Nature Trust
• Kings County Riparian Fencing Project, Friends of the Cornwallis River Society
• Wildlife and forage-quality benefits of a late-maturing hay cultivar, Soren Bondrup-Nielsen
• Conservation of critical lakeshore habitat in the Tusket River watershed, Sara Good-Avila
• Community Education Through Awareness, Cape Sable Important Bird Area Committee
• The utility of eastern pipistrelles as indicators of landscape level change at large spatial and temporal scales, Hugh Broders
• Adopt-A-Class Wetland Education Project, Ducks Unlimited
• Role of Riparian Buffers in Forest Bird Conservation, Cindy Staicer.