By combining financial resources, the Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (NEAFWA) has created an efficient and effective mechanism to address landscape-scale or regionally applicable issues through the Northeast Regional Conservation Needs (RCN) Grant Program, reports the Wildlife Management Institute.

Many of the conservation needs identified in the state wildlife action plans are best addressed at a landscape-scale - a scale that does not conform to state boundaries. Whether they involve the conservation of an ecological landscape or the uniform assessment and implementation of conservation actions, state boundaries are meaningless on the ground.

In addition, many conservation actions can be developed or implemented in one part of a region with the results applicable and beneficial to the entire region. Or, as in the case with migratory species or nonmigratory species whose movements may be constrained or altered unfavorably by obstructions or activity, conservation actions that affect the population status of a species in one state may depend on actions taken elsewhere. NEAFWA agencies have each contributed 4 percent of their annual State Wildlife Grant apportionment (a little over $500,000) to support RCN grants. Last spring, NEFWA agencies selected seven RCN topic areas and issued a Request for Proposals (RFP). Applicants responded enthusiastically and, in the first round of grant review, requests exceed available funds by 200 percent.

RCN grants were awarded earlier this month, during the fall NEAFWA Directors meeting. Eight grants were approved. For more detail, please refer to http://www.rcngrants.org/. NEAFWA Directors also approved continuation of the RCN grant program for 2008. An RFP is expected to be issued in January. For more information, contact Scot Williamson at (802) 748-6717.