“The State Wildlife Grant Program is critical to conserving and protecting the fish, mussels, turtles and other non-game species managed by the Commission,” said PFBC Executive Director Doug Austen. The condition of these species and their habitats reflects the overall health of the environment and often serves as an early indicator of disease and pollution which affect us all. Austen also noted that conserving the diversity of fish and wildlife provides a great opportunity to support our natural heritage for future generations. “Preventing species from becoming threatened or endangered is fiscally responsible as it is generally less costly than attempting to restore them once they are nearly gone,” noted Austen.

Pending approval from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the PFBC will be awarding grants to facilitate the following nine projects:

• Habitat Enhancement at Four State Park Lakes-Pennsylvania: Lakes are vital habitats for fish and other aquatic life, and the PFBC has a long history of lake habitat enhancement work. To further advance this work, a collaborative effort between the Fish and Boat Commission and Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) will assess the quality of existing habitat and implement habitat activities on four lakes owned and managed by DCNR. The lakes on which this work will be conducted are to be selected based on current and potential habitat value for fish, amphibians, reptiles and other wildlife (including the presence of Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN), as identified in Pennsylvania’s Wildlife Action Plan). PFBC staff will study the response of the habitats and fishes to evaluate project impacts and will also engage the public to assist through a citizen-monitoring program. This three-year, $186,000 project will be supported with a $93,000 SWG grant.
  
  
• Stream Restoration and Watershed Stabilization: This project will provide a collaborative, low-cost approach to stream restoration and watershed stabilization that encourages direct participation by local watershed groups. Working with the Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy (NPC), the PFBC will provide technical and financial support for the design, permitting, construction, monitoring, and maintenance of stream restoration projects in the upper Ohio, Genesee, and upper Susquehanna watersheds. This three-year project will be supported with $301,806 of SWG funds and an equal amount of non-federal matching funds.
  
  
• Freshwater Mussels: Freshwater mussels are among the most imperiled groups of animals in North America. Their status in Pennsylvania is no exception: 17 species are considered extirpated and another 24 species are considered threatened or endangered by the Pennsylvania Biological Survey (PABS). Mussels are often long-lived and thus are good indicators of water quality and habitat conditions. Two separate research projects will help the PFBC maintain records on these animals in Pennsylvania and contribute to our understanding their distribution in the Susquehanna River Basin. Both projects will be conducted by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.
  
  -- Mussel Sampling Protocol Development and Enhancement of the Pennsylvania Aquatic Community Classification Database: This two-year project will develop a database to provide a common format for storage and retrieval of information about mussels, including distribution and population trends. It also will provide for consistent sampling methods and more efficient long-term use of the data. This $21,333 project will be supported with a $16,000 grant of SWG funds.
  
  -- Distribution of Yellow Lampmussel in the Susquehanna River Watershed: This three-year project will sample approximately 85 locations on the Susquehanna River and major tributaries to assess freshwater mussels, especially the yellow lampmussel. The conservation of the yellow lampmussel in Pennsylvania is especially critical since Pennsylvania contains a significant portion of the global range for the species. This survey will add tremendously to our knowledge of the distribution, abundance, and recruitment of the yellow lampmussel and other mussels associated with this species. The project will also provide much-needed data for determining if this species, or other mussel species, should merit listing as state-threatened or endangered. This $247,677 project will be supported with $123,838 of SWG funds.
  
  
• Eastern Spadefoot Toad Assessment: The eastern spadefoot toad is a well-camouflaged animal, with only two known reproducing populations in Pennsylvania. This species is listed as state-endangered (PFBC 2005) and is considered a high-priority species in the Pennsylvania Wildlife Action Plan. Both within the northeastern United States and in Pennsylvania, little is known about its life-history and distribution. The lack of important information about the distribution of this species makes appropriate conservation, planning, and management decisions difficult for state agencies, land planners, and conservation organizations. This project will provide data for a management plan for the species in Pennsylvania and will compile much-needed information on habitat and other features at sites where the toads are found which may be especially important for identifying other potential locations for this species. This three-year project will be conducted by East Stroudsburg University with a $220,771 grant of SWG funds and equal matching funds from East Stroudsburg University for a total project cost of $441,542.
  
  
• Planning for the Protection of the Eastern Massasauga: The eastern massasauga snake is listed as a state-endangered species in Pennsylvania. Across its range, populations of this reptile are similarly in decline, making it a candidate species for federal listing. To protect the remaining Pennsylvania populations, the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy will develop a Massasauga Protection Plan that prioritizes critical habitats for this species. This plan will include a timeline and identify specific conservation efforts such as the placement of conservation easements and habitat management, to ensure effective and efficient protection of the massasauga. This species conservation plan will serve as an important reference document for ongoing conservation efforts. This four-month project will be funded with $10,898 from SWG and equal matching funds from the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.
  
  
• Assessing the Genetic Status of Timber Rattlesnake Populations in Pennsylvania: The study of conservation genetics is important for the management of many species, especially for populations that are widely distributed, such as timber rattlesnakes in Pennsylvania. Ranked in the highest priority conservation tier, “Immediate Concern,” in the Pennsylvania Wildlife Action Plan, this project will provide genetic information for the timber rattlesnake from the western and southcentral regions of the state. The research will expand on previous work conducted in eastern and central Pennsylvania and will provide the baseline information necessary for long-term monitoring. This $187,082 project will be conducted by Arcadia University with $93,541 grant of SWG funds and an equal match provided by Arcadia University.
  
  
• Fishes of the Ohio River: The PFBC has approved funding for an additional year of sampling the deep waters of the Ohio River in order to more fully understand the distribution of fish species and their habitats. The survey methods will collect smaller and potentially little-known fish species which are not easily detected in deeper habitats. The results of this intensive sampling will assist the Commission in determining if any of these species should be considered for designation as threatened or endangered in Pennsylvania. This additional year of the original one-year study will be conducted by The Pennsylvania State University with a SWG grant of $66,908 and matching funds provided by PSU, for a total project cost of $133,817.
  
  
• Understanding Habitat and Species Associations with Geographic Information Systems (Conservation Planning Polygons): Resource managers and planners will be greatly assisted by this project which will use geographic information systems (GIS) to map critical habitats used by high-priority Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) listed in the Pennsylvania Wildlife Action Plan. These mapped habitats called “conservation planning polygons”, will provide information on areas for wildlife protection and management. These conservation planning polygons will be used for environmental review, planning and decision-making and to help further conservation efforts in priority areas of Pennsylvania. With a $204,000 grant of SWG funds provided by the Fish and Boat Commission and the Game Commission, this three-year, $272,000 project to be conducted by Western Pennsylvania Conservancy will define the core habitats and supporting landscape features and develop a database for this information.

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