MassWildlife’s Habitat Management Grant Program (MHMGP) provides financial assistance to private and municipal landowners of conserved lands to enhance wildlife habitat, while promoting public access for outdoor recreation. Over the past 6 years, the MHMGP has awarded over $2.2M in funding to 33 different organizations and individuals for 84 habitat improvement projects.
The MHMGP encourages landowners to engage in active habitat management on their properties to benefit many types of wildlife, including game animals and species of greatest conservation need identified in the State Wildlife Action Plan. Although MassWildlife and other conservation organizations have made unprecedented investments in land acquisition in Massachusetts, acquisition alone is not enough to guarantee the persistence of biological diversity. Investment in habitat restoration and management is urgently needed on public and private lands across the state. To address this need, MassWildlife and the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs have substantially increased their investment in habitat management on state wildlife lands and are committed to working with partners to promote these efforts on other conserved lands across the state.
MassWildlife will be offering technical assistance to landowners who are interested in applying to the MHMGP from now until July 14th. If you want to speak to a MassWildlife Habitat Biologist about habitat management on your property or your eligibility for the MHMGP, please contact Brian Hawthorne, Habitat Program Manager.
If your project site is within priority habitat (check here) a pre-review of the project is highly encouraged. Please e-mail Emily Holt, Senior Endangered Species Review Biologist of the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (NHESP), with a site map and description of the project to begin the pre-review process. Retain copies of the feedback provided as proof of consultation will be needed during the MHMGP application process. Pre-reviews should be submitted to NHESP a minimum of 2 weeks before the MHMGP application closing date.
Grant applications will open mid-July and will be due in late August. More information is available at the Habitat Management Grant Program page. Technical assistance on potential grant application projects needs to be completed by the opening of the application period. Visit the MHMGP webpage at any time to learn more about the application process, and to see examples of funded projects. For general questions about the grant program, contact James Burnham, Program Coordinator.
