Biologist checks the lizard is good to go before releasing it. Photo courtesy of California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Biologist checks the lizard is good to go before releasing it. Photo courtesy of California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Information provided by US Fish and Wildlife Service. Lea este artículo en español aquí.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced over $20.5 million in grants to seven projects in California that support land acquisition and conservation planning for at-risk and listed species through the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund. 

One of the projects selected includes the San Benito County Conservation Plan and permanent protection of habitat to protect listed species. These funds will be complimented by a non-federal match. 

San Benito County will receive $910,558 to support the development of a Habitat Conservation Plan, permanent protection of habitat through the establishment of preserves, and development of management guidelines for the conservation and recovery of twenty-two federally listed and at-risk species such as the blunt-nosed leopard lizard, giant kangaroo rat, San Joaquin kit fox, San Joaquin woolly-threads, and monarch butterfly. A non-federal cost share of $319,926 will be provided by the San Benito County Planning Department towards this project.

For more information on the cooperative grant program and other projects selected in California, please see the full press release: https://www.fws.gov/press-release/2024-07/us-fish-and-wildlife-service-announces-over-20-million-collaborative-efforts