Reporter’s Notes

Grouse meeting

The Upper Green River Basin Sage-Grouse Working Group has completed its work on a draft conservation plan for sage grouse and the plan is now available for public review. The group will hold a public meeting to present and discuss the plan tonight, Thursday, Jan. 11, at the Pinedale Library from 6-8 p.m.

The plan identifies current issues affecting sage grouse in the area and recommends a number of research and management actions to address these problems. The plan’s list of projects ranges from larger projects in the early stages of development, including research on ravens and their impacts to sage grouse, to smaller projects that have already been completed, such as a seed mix brochure for plantings beneficial to sage-grouse.

Working group members will be available at the Jan. 11, meeting to explain elements of the plan and answer questions. The plan is also available for review on the Wyoming Game and Fish Department website at: http://gf.state.wy.us/ wildlife/wildlife_management/sagegrouse/index.asp. Printed copies of the draft plan are available at the Pinedale and Big Piney public libraries.

PAWG water

The Pinedale Anticline Working Group Water Quality Task Group will meet from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 24, at the Pinedale BLM Office Conference Room. The Pinedale BLM office is located at 432 E. Mill St.

The Water Quality Task Group will be reviewing data from the 2005-2006 sampling season in addition to all previous sampling efforts, and will include recent macroinvertibrate data. The current groundwater sampling plan will be reviewed, particularly as to the reporting requirements.

Mitigation projects

The Jonah Interagency Mitigation and Reclamation Office will be accepting applications for the next round of off-site mitigation projects through March 1. In addition, long-term off-site mitigation goals have been approved and are being released to aid in understanding of the overall goals.

To further assist the public with off-site mitigation project proposals, the JIO will hold an open house from 1-5 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 12, in the JIO office at 107 1/2 Pine St., in Pinedale. The JIO is located behind High Mountain Real Estate, entering from Fremont Street.

“The JIO staff will be available to assist interested project proponents with all phases of the process, from project concept and design to completing the application itself,” said JIO Project Coordinator Mike Stiewig. Everyone interested in submitting a proposal is highly encouraged to attend.

“The JIO will be accepting applications for projects from interested parties through March 1. The project application form and guidelines are on the JIO website, at: http://www.wy.blm.gov/ jonah_office/index.htm.

For more information, contact Stiewig at 367-3991 or 360-6971.

Private conservation

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking proposals for conservation projects to benefit imperiled species on private lands through its Private Stewardship Grants Program. This program provides federal grants on a competitive basis to individuals and groups engaged in voluntary conservation efforts on private lands that help federally listed endangered or threatened species as well as proposed, candidate and other at-risk species.

Landowners and their partners must submit their proposals to the appropriate regional FWS offices by Feb. 14. For additional information regarding this grant opportunity and how and where to submit proposals, please visit the Service’s Private Stewardship Grants Website at: http://www.fws.gov/endangered/grants/private_stewardship/index.html.