The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) has awarded the Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) with a $744,000 grant to expand efforts to restore habitat and improve wildlife connectivity across the Northern Great Plains. The funding will support projects that enhance rangeland health and benefit key species, including mule deer, pronghorn antelope, greater sage-grouse and grassland birds.
In 2024, with support from NFWF's original Northern Great Plains grant, MDF launched the Private Land Conservation Program and Great Plains Initiative (GPI). The conservation programs improve habitat and enhance big game migration corridors on private working lands throughout the eastern range of mule deer habitat within the Great Plains grassland ecosystems. Through the GPI, MDF works in the Northern and Southern Plains regions to collaborate directly with private landowners, state and federal agencies, conservation organizations and local communities to design, fund and implement conservation projects that benefit important wildlife species.
This newly awarded NFWF grant will allow MDF to continue the successful approach to implementing on-the-ground restoration work across the Northern Great Plains. These efforts will emphasize voluntary, incentive-based conservation practices that improve wildlife movement and promote sustainable agricultural operations.
"The Great Plains are one of the most vital, yet most threatened ecosystems, in North America," said Greg Sheehan, president and CEO of MDF. "We value NFWF's commitment to help MDF bring people together across property lines and jurisdictions to restore grasslands, strengthen wildlife migration corridors, and ensure that mule deer and other species continue to thrive across boundaries for generations to come."
Colorado’s BLM Agreement
Also in December the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and MDF announced the 10-year renewal of a conservation partnership in Colorado. The original agreement restored critical mule deer and sagebrush habitat, reduced wildfire risk and improved rangelands on 10,050 acres along the Western Slope and Northwest Colorado. The renewed cooperative effort will run from 2025 to 2035. The initial BLM investment of $244,000 will allow MDF and BLM to expand fuels reduction work to more of the state.
“BLM Colorado’s partnership with MDF helps achieve our multiple-use mission by restoring mule deer habitat on public lands, reducing wildfire risks and improving rangelands,” said Doug Vilsack, BLM Colorado state director. “Together, we are creating resilient landscapes that benefit local communities, wildlife and all public land users.”
The previous stewardship agreement was BLM Colorado’s first use of its authority to carry out long-term, 10-year habitat and fuels mitigation projects. The longer agreement window allowed it to establish partnerships with organizations, local contractors, state agencies and private companies to deliver 17 projects. They included sagebrush plantings, dense pinyon-juniper stand removal, special status plant surveys, archaeological surveys, invasive weed control, fence modifications to open migration corridors and wildlife water source installation.
“Colorado is home to the largest mule deer population in North America, and we value the Bureau of Land Management’s continuing commitment to MDF as a partner to help tackle their most pressing habitat challenges,” Sheehan said. “This long-term stewardship agreement offers the certainty and flexibility needed to deliver projects where and when they are needed, support local contractors and leverage multiple funding sources for the greatest conservation impact.”
