DFG News Archive

New Landowner Program Aims to Boost Central Valley Wildlife

California's Central Valley is not only world renowned for its agriculture, it is considered a wildlife mecca. Private landowners are key to the survival of species in the Central Valley, and a new program offers incentives for managing their lands with wildlife in mind.

The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) has partnered with Ducks Unlimited to launch the California Landowner Incentive Program (LIP), a U.S. Fish and Wildlife initiative that awards grants to pay for land management activities designed to benefit California's declining plant and animal species.

“The Central Valley’s very distinct and historic habitats remain crucial to hundreds of species of birds and other sensitive species that depend on wetland, native grassland, and riparian habitats,” said Luke Naylor, LIP coordinator.

Participating private landowners will receive annual incentive payments in return for implementing management plans designed to benefit many of the special status species that spend a portion of the year in the Central Valley. Management activities include:

• Flooding wetlands for wetland-dependent species, such as shorebirds and wading birds.
• Native grass management, including noxious weed control.
• Managing riparian plantings to improve restoration success.

The Central Valley is 50 miles wide, spanning 400 miles from Redding to Bakersfield. The area is a bird haven. During spring migration, for example, the Central Valley is inhabited by upwards of 300,000 shorebirds. All of these species and more rely heavily on the Central Valley’s diverse habitats for survival.

Over the last century, however, 96 percent of the Central Valley's wetlands and upland and riparian habitats have been converted to cropland or developed, leading to the decline in many wildlife species. “With the help of landowners, the program’s primary objective is to help reverse the decline of ‘special status’ species throughout the state,” Naylor said.

“This program offers a unique opportunity to engage landowners in conservation efforts to enhance habitat for special status species, furthering their valuable role as stewards of California’s wildlife resources,” said DFG Director L. Ryan Broddrick.

For additional information on the LIP practices, eligibility and incentives, go to www.dfg.ca.gov/lands/lip/lipinfo.pdf. For general information, go to www.dfg.ca.gov/lands/lip/.