As part of a package of $18.5 million for conservation grants, JBLM will receive almost $1.5 million for expanding partnerships, landowner outreach, plant production, and prescribed burning. There are 13 sites and 829 acres where oak habitat and ecosystem enhancements will take place.

Here is the portion of the press release noting the local project.

• $1,499,300 to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for Integrating Joint Base Lewis-McChord Sentinel Landscape and Tribal Priorities for Prairie-Oak Habitat. This project will increase capacity for prescribed burning, expand partnerships with tribal nations and land trusts, conduct landowner outreach, and support plant production to benefit at-risk species and working lands within the Joint Base Lewis-McChord Sentinel Landscape. The project will strengthen ecosystem and community resilience by restoring 829 acres of prairie and oak habitat across 13 sites managed by multiple partners in the south Puget Sound region of Washington state.

“Along with being one our country’s largest military installations, Joint Base Lewis-McChord also supports much of the remaining prairie land in south Puget Sound. This investment will help fund the restoration of 829 acres of at-risk and rare prairie and oak habitat on the Joint Base Lewis-McChord Sentinel Landscape and throughout the south Sound,” Sen. Cantwell said.

“I’m excited to announce nearly $1.5 million in federal funding to restore key prairie and oak habitats in the South Puget Sound, strengthen local ecosystems, and expand partnerships with Tribal nations and land trusts,” said Sen. Murray. “These kinds of projects are critical for the future and long-term health of the natural resources that make Washington state a great place to live and I’m proud to support initiatives like this at the federal level.”