Michigan’s new Deer Private Land Assistance Network grant program, known as Deer PLAN, will begin taking applications April 1.
The Deer PLAN, funded by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Fish and Game Fund, is designed to support private-land deer habitat improvement projects in the northern Lower Peninsula.
“There are two primary goals applicants should strive to meet,” said DNR wildlife biologist Brian Piccolo. “The projects should produce tangible deer habitat improvements and build long-term partnerships between the DNR and sportsmen’s clubs.”
For 2014, $50,000 will be available, focused on the following counties: Alcona, Alpena, Crawford, Montmorency, Oscoda and Presque Isle. Funds will be allocated across these six counties based on a competitive grant application scoring process.
“A focus area will concentrate habitat projects in a particular region, and in doing so will provide greater benefits to deer populations in areas where we have identified habitat issues,” said DNR Deer Program biologist Ashley Autenrieth.
Application amounts must be between $2,000 and $10,000 and the grant recipient is required to provide 25 percent of the total grant amount. Projects can take place on private land, Commercial Forest Act land or other non-state-owned land.
Project applications are due by May 14. Successful applicants will be notified by May 30.
The complete grant application package is available online at www.michigan.gov/dnr-grants by following the Deer PLAN link under Wildlife Habitat Management near the bottom of the page.
The Deer PLAN grant program is made possible by Michigan’s new hunting and fishing license structure.
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