Application deadline is March 1, 2000 for central Washington upland game bird funds

EPHRATA— Anyone interested in undertaking an upland game bird habitat enhancement project in central Washington can apply for funding through March 1 from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

The funds are from the Dave Wallace Account For Upland Game Bird Habitat Enhancement. This account, in memory of a long-time upland game bird advocate from Ephrata, provides $20,000 annually from interest on an invested annuity for habitat projects on public and private property.

Any interested group, agency or individual should obtain a Wallace Grant application packet by either visiting, calling, or mailing WDFW's Ephrata regional office, 1550 Alder Street, Ephrata, WA 98823-9699, (509) 754-4624, or WDFW's Wenatchee district office, 3860 Chelan Highway N., Wenatchee, WA 98801-9607, (509) 662-0452. Grant applications will be accepted until March 1, 2000.

Projects that provide habitat benefits to upland game birds (chukar and Hungarian partridge, pheasant, and quail) in Okanogan, Chelan, Douglas, Kittitas, Grant or Adams counties will be considered. Project requests should not exceed $4,000 and should be aimed at habitat development and enhancement. Requests to raise game birds for release do not qualify for funding.

Some of the projects funded in the past include spring developments, fencing of important habitat areas to protect them from livestock, plantings of trees, shrubs and food plots, and construction of upland game bird feeders.