The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) is seeking proposals for waterfowl breeding grounds habitat work through the next three years (July 2024 through June 2027). The proposals are due July 19, 2024.
Since 1965, LDWF has provided funding to support conservation of breeding grounds habitat for migratory waterfowl via state statute that allocates a portion of annual waterfowl hunting license revenue for that purpose. La. R.S. 56:10(B)(B)(5) authorizes the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission (LWFC) to expend half of all revenues derived from the sale of waterfowl hunting licenses for the development and preservation of breeding grounds for migratory waterfowl at its discretion.
The LWFC adopted a resolution at its June 2021 meeting establishing specific requirements for the proposals, including, “to provide a minimum contribution equivalent to the amount of the request, to match and further leverage LWFC provided funding awards, with such awards to be used solely to purchase through fee title or permanent conservation easement, breeding waterfowl habitat in the Prairie Pothole Region, prioritized according to results from Prairie Habitat and Prairie Pothole Joint Venture maps of duck breeding density and Louisiana-harvested band-recovery data, until other improved methods are determined.”
Go to waterfowl_breeding_habitat_conservation_resolution_6-3-21.pdf (louisiana.gov)to see the full resolution.
In the last three years, an average of $240,000 annually has been awarded for the protection, restoration, and enhancement of breeding waterfowl habitat. The current contract expires on June 30, 2024. Act 114 of the 2024 Regular Legislative Session expanded the revenues dedicated to the Duck License, Stamp, and Print Fund to include all proceeds from the sale of waterfowl hunting licenses and should result in approximately $400,000 available for projects in the waterfowl breeding grounds annually.
LDWF is soliciting three-year proposals for use of all or a portion of that funding during the July 2024 through June 2027 period. Multiple contracts for partial amounts of the available funding have been awarded in the past at the discretion of the LWFC.
Proposals must be submitted by July 19, 2024 to the LDWF Waterfowl Program Manager via regular mail, or e-mail at: Jason Olszak, Waterfowl Program Manager Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, 200 Dulles Drive Lafayette, LA 70506. Office phone: 337-735-8687, E-mail: jolszak@wlf.la.gov.
Prospective grantees will have an opportunity to present their proposals to the LWFC at its monthly meeting on Aug. 1, 2024 beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the Joe Herring Louisiana Room on the first floor of the LDWF Headquarters Building in Baton Rouge. Proposal presentations will be limited to 15 minutes. The LWFC will make public selection of proposals for funding and the amount awarded at its meeting on Aug. 1. For more information, contact Jason Olszak at 337-735-8687 or jolszak@wlf.la.gov.