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DNR secures $5 million grant from National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s America the Beautiful Challenge

(Undated) - The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation has announced the recipients of the inaugural America the Beautiful Challenge, a $1 billion grant program launched in May to fund diverse, landscape-level conservation projects. Michigan has been awarded $5 million, which will be administered by the state’s Department of Natural Resources.

The award will fund removal of 27 stream barriers, including 7 in the U.P., to restore the passage of fish and other aquatic organisms. Additionally, this work will benefit several at-risk species.

The DNR will partner with local organizations and federally recognized tribes to reconnect nearly 200 upstream miles of rivers and streams. Partners include Michigan Trout Unlimited, the Superior Watershed Partnership and Land Conservancy, and the U.S. Forest Service, among others

The streams that will benefit from the America the Beautiful Challenge grant are located in 14 counties across Michigan, including Delta, Gogebic, Luce, Mackinac, and Marquette counties in the U.P.

More information about this National Fish and Wildlife Foundation program – including a full list of grants awarded to states, U.S. territories and tribal nations, and project descriptions – is available at nfwf.org/programs/america-beautiful-challenge.

To learn more about how Michigan manages fisheries, visit Michigan.gov/Fishing.

Hans Ahlström is the host of several programs including the daily musical variety show Weekday, the mostly straight ahead jazz show Night Studio, the self explanatory Blues Today, and the eclectic Sound Spectrum. You can also hear Hans as the local host of NPR's All Things Considered news magazine. He also helps manage Public Radio 90's web content, interviews local and visiting writers and artists, works with NMU student interns, and writes the occasional news story.