CONCORD, N.H. — The Wildlife Heritage Foundation of New Hampshire announces 2014 grant awards of $53,355 to the NH Fish and Game Department. Funds raised from the annual Moose Permit Auction were down significantly this year due to a reduction in the number of permits awarded to the Foundation, but Board Chair Steve White reports that a private fund stepped forward to match to Moose Permit proceeds, allowing the Foundation to fulfill 56% of grant requests from Fish and Game.
The New Hampton Fishery was awarded $5,000 to renovate a pre-existing hatchery structure to provide for specific lights and timers. This will allow for photo-manipulation and egg procurement to increase the survival rate of brook and brown trout eggs which are supplied to other state hatcheries from New Hampton.
To redesign and upgrade the NH Fish and Game website to be compatible with mobile devices and tablets, the Foundation awarded $3,000 for web design coding and training.
Continuing to support the efforts to preserve our valued moose population, the Foundation awarded $1,160 towards federal funding for the testing of heavy metal cadmium in the moose population.
The Becoming an Outdoor Woman program (B.O.W.) was awarded $600 to provide for 2 scholarships for women to attend the Fall 2015 educational workshop to introduce women to new outdoor skills.
The Wildlife Division was awarded $1,800 to purchase tarps, ropes and carbineers to safely and efficiently remove and relocate bears from trees in populated areas where culvert traps are inappropriate.
A grant of $5,000 was awarded to the Great Bay Discovery Center towards the replacement of the 1,700 foot boardwalk. The Foundation will continue to support the Center and the Great Bay Stewards as they seek to secure federal funding of this valuable walkway along the estuary of Great Bay in Greenland, NH.
A request for a Land Habitat Cultipacker was granted for $1,500, to prepare firm seedbeds and plant cover crops in wildlife areas to provide more food for wildlife in state land areas.
A grant of $10,000 was awarded to the Law Enforcement division to complete the purchase of flotation jackets so that all Conservation Officers will be protected year round.
The Foundation will continue to support the multi-year building and renovation of signs, kiosks and informational panels in all Wildlife Management Areas around the state. This year’s grant was for $6,875 for 11 signs, 4 kiosks and 4 informational panels.
Wild Times for Kids is a youth magazine provided to grade school classrooms throughout the state focusing on wildlife and conservation. The Foundation approved $3,420 towards the publication of the Spring 2015 issue.
A new program Wildlife Recreation Access Program (WRAP) was awarded $10,000. This will provide incentives including gates, signage and parking areas to private landowners who agree to keep their lands open for at least 5 years for hunting, fishing and wildlife watching.
The Foundation will again sponsor the 2015 Hunting and Fishing Expo with an award of $5,000. This free annual event draws over 1,000 visitors each year and showcases services and products related to hunting, fishing, trapping, and conservation accomplishments.
In addition to these grants, the Foundation also supports on-going program needs at the Department by managing restricted funds from individual and corporate donations on behalf of the Barry Conservation Camp Maintenance Program and the Law Enforcement Canine Program.
Foundation Chair Steve White states that the Foundation must begin soliciting funds now for the 2015 grant program. As all funds from the 2014 Moose Permit Auction have been expended, and with the number of moose permits expected to remain at the same level in 2015, private and corporate donations are essential to the Foundation’s continued support of the many critical Fish and Game programs that are unfunded, yet affect our wildlife and the use and enjoyment of NH’s wilderness.
The Wildlife Heritage Foundation of New Hampshire is the official non-profit partner of the NH Fish and Game Department. The Foundation raises funds in support of the Department’s critical wildlife, conservation and educational programs important to New Hampshire family traditions of hiking, hunting, fishing and watching wildlife, and to preserve these outdoor gifts for generations to come.
If you are interested in making donations to Fish and Game programs through the Foundation, please contact Gail Huntting, Foundation Administrator at (603) 496-2778 or email [email protected].