Section 51.45. Grants for property acquisition.

 

(1)   Eligible projects. Nonprofit conservation organizations may apply for stewardship grants to acquire property to protect, enhance or restore wildlife habitat.

(a) Habitat area projects addressing the most pressing needs of wildlife in the state which have one or more of the following characteristics, shall receive preference for funding:

1. Places that contain or have the restoration potential for high priority wildlife habitat according to state, regional, or federal wildlife plans.

2. Places harboring unique or exceptional species or habitats for which Wisconsin plays a critical and central conservation role.

3. Places that provide critical landscape or ecosystem linkages.

4. Places that provide wildlife-based recreation.

(b) Secondary factors the department shall consider when evaluating projects include:

1. Places that have high levels of documented public and landowner support.

2. Places where acquisition efforts to protect conservation and recreation lands will complement, and be complemented by, local land use plans.

3. Places that are under imminent threat of loss or significant and long-term degradation.

(2)   Ineligible projects. Ineligible projects include:

(a) Property containing or planned to contain buildings or other facilities designed for intensive recreational use including playgrounds, roads, picnic areas, boating and camping facilities, playing fields or shelters, and other uses that are not compatible with wildlife–based recreation, as defined under s. NR 51.42 (5) , unless the facility occupies only a small portion of the property and the department determines it does not diminish the property's wildlife habitat value.

(b) Property which is intended to be used for long-term timber plantations.

(c) Property which is intended for long-term agricultural use.

Cr. Register, October, 1990, No. 418 , eff. 11-1-90; r. and recr. Register, February, 1996, No. 482 , eff. 3-1-96; emerg. r. (2) (d), eff. 9-1-00; CR 00-135 : r. (2) (d), Register July 2001, No. 547 eff. 8-1-01; CR 10-27 : cr. (1) (title), (a), (b), (2) (title), am. (2), r. (3) Register February 2012 No. 674 , eff. 3-1-12.