Hall getting wildlife recreational grant

ATLANTA - Hall is one of ten of Georgia's Greenspace counties that have been awarded state wildlife recreational contracts.

The money is to be used to assist in the enhancement of facilities and trails for wildlife associated recreation.

Hall County is getting funding for habitat enhancement, trails, signs, and benches.

The counties designated for funding were selected from a pool of 19 proposals and were awarded a total of $133,000, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division (WRD).

Funding for the contracts is provided by the Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Program provisions of the Commerce, Justice and State Appropriations Act of 2001 and Nongame Wildlife Fund.

WRD invited the 39 county governments that were eligible for funding from the Georgia Community Greenspace Program in 2001 to submit proposals for developing or improving opportunities to observe nongame wildlife on greenspace lands and to enhance wildlife recreational activities in the county. Proposals were reviewed and scored based on their relation to the Georgia Community Greenspace Program's mission, the presence of species or habitats of special concern, identified benefits to the public and ability to include partnerships with matching contributions.

"Selecting the projects to be funded was a difficult task because each proposal presented creative and innovative ways to improve and develop their areas," said Mike Harris, Chief of the Nongame Wildlife and Natural Heritage Section of the DNR/WRD. "Selection came down to those projects that would provide the best opportunity for the public to observe wildlife. Georgia's wildlife is an important part of our heritage and we want the public to have an opportunity to learn about and appreciate this heritage."

Greenspace is permanently protected land and water, including agricultural and forestry land, that is in its undeveloped, natural state or has been developed only to the extent to conserve its natural environment and provide provisions for recreation. The Georgia General Assembly created the Georgia Community Greenspace Program during the 2000 legislative session and Governor Roy Barnes signed it into law on April 16, 2000. The program establishes a framework within which developed and rapidly developing counties can preserve community greenspace.