The passage of the California Clean Water, Clean Air, Safe Neighborhood Parks, and Coastal Protection Act of 2002 made $300 million available to the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB). Funds can be used to acquire land in fee title and interests in land, such as conservation easements. The funds can also be used for habitat restoration and/or enhancement projects and for public access projects that provide wildlife-related public recreational opportunities. Applications for project funding are accepted on a continuous basis. The Board meets every three months for the purpose of considering proposals. Meetings are held in February, May, August and November, unless otherwise specified. The specific breakdown of funding from the Bond Act and legislation for WCB is as follows:

Eligible Recipients: Federal, state, and local governmental agencies, and non-profit conservation organizations.

Eligible Categories of Projects:

(1) Recovery of Threatened and Endangered Species. Funding can be used for projects and habitats that are critical to the sustainability of federal or state listed threatened or endangered species, or species of special concern. NCCP or HCP properties or projects which have received DFG approval and are part of a long-term conservation plan can also be funded.

(2) Linkages and Corridors. Funding can be used for actively used habitat lands that connect larger, already protected habitats for multiple species. These may be selected according to the following priorities:

1. High development threat; high-use route for species that migrate annually;
2. High development threat; one of few remaining routes for species that use and require additional habitats; a true corridor for species’ safe transfer from one habitat block to another;
3. Future likely threat; connecting acreage between intact ecological communities which would provide greater diversity as a whole for the watershed.

(3) Significant Natural Landscapes. Funding can be used for:

1. Support of open space or park projects that contribute to large landscape conservation initiatives;
2. Support of intact ecological communities covering small or large land areas which have a high diversity of species, or contain habitats which are rare, limited, or unique within California. Projects may include such habitats as wetlands (marshes, bogs, vernal pools, tidal marshes, interior valley semi-permanent wetlands, etc), riparian woodlands, oak woodlands, redwood forests, native perennial grasslands, foothill habitats, and others which provide a high level or protection for the species that inhabit them.

(4) Public Access. Funding can be used for projects that provide public access and use of public lands for wildlife-related recreational activities such as hunting, fishing, and wildlife viewing. Projects may include acquisition of land for public access purposes. Public access development projects may include boat ramps, fishing piers, and attendant facilities such as parking lots, restrooms, fish cleaning stations, access roads, and pedestrian trails.

(5) Planning. Funding can be used for preparing land management plans (using DFG Guidelines) for any DFG lands acquired by WCB in fee title.

Note: These funds are continuously appropriated. As of December 1, 2007, approximately $170 million has already been approved and allocated by the WCB for projects under this category. The WCB has also received and is currently evaluating a substantial number of new projects to be funded with the remainder of these funds. The WCB will continue to accept and consider new project proposals until all funds are exhausted.

Eligible Recipients: Federal, state, and local governmental agencies, private landowners, and non-profit conservation organizations.

Eligible Projects: Funding can be used for conservation easements. Qualified property includes rangeland, grazing land, or grassland that is used or suitable for grazing; is zoned for agricultural grazing, or open-space use; and is used or suitable for habitat or aquatic or terrestrial wildlife species or native plants. For more information, click on Rangeland, Grazing Lands and Grassland Protection Program.

Note: Funding is appropriated by the legislature. Added by Chapter 984, Statutes of 2002. Approximately $17.4 million has been allocated by WCB for projects under this category.

The figures and information provided above are current as of December 1, 2007. For more information on proposal applications, return to home page and click on appropriate program, or contact the Wildlife Conservation Board at (916) 445-8448.