EPHRATA -- Persons or groups interested in applying for funds to enhance upland game bird habitat in six central Washington counties must apply to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Ephrata office by March 1.

Up to $25,000 are available annually through WDFW's seven-year-old Dave Wallace Account for Upland Game Bird Habitat Enhancement. As designated by the Wallace will, only habitat enhancement projects in Okanogan, Chelan, Douglas, Kittitas, Grant, or Adams counties are eligible for funding. Individual project requests cannot exceed $4,500.

Dave Wallace, who died in 1986, was an avid upland game bird enthusiast from Ephrata who willed his estate to WDFW for habitat enhancement use. Only interest earned annually on an invested annuity is used to fund projects.

Projects funded in the past include fencing to protect habitat from livestock, plantings of trees and shrubs, and construction of upland game bird feeders. A citizen advisory committee helps WDFW officials select projects to fund.

Grant application packets are available at the WDFW Ephrata office, 1550 Alder St. N.W., Ephrata, WA 98823-9699, (509) 754-6065.