Vern Ross, Executive Director of the Wildlife for Everyone Endowment Foundation announced the Foundation has purchased a Caterpillar excavator to assist in completing wetland and stream restoration projects throughout the Commonwealth.

The excavator was previously a long-term rental from Cleveland Brothers, Inc., which easily facilitated the buyout procedure. The Caterpillar 322CL excavator is fitted with a bucket and a large hydraulic thumb, which is essential for maneuvering and placing large rocks into streams for habitat improvements.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program has partnered with the Foundation to complete several crucial habitat improvement projects that fulfill both Agencies' missions.

Future projects are currently being surveyed, designed and permitted, and it is anticipated that the majority of the summer will be spent a field constructing joint projects.

Mark Roberts, the Partner's for Fish and Wildlife Program Coordinator for Pennsylvania stated that, "this type of cooperative effort is the cornerstone of our program. We very much appreciate the assistance and partnership with the Foundation, because when like-minded agencies work cooperatively together, the habitat gains can be significant."

Roberts said that planned habitat restoration projects included wetland restoration, stream bank stabilization, in-stream habitat improvements through natural stream channel design, and riparian corridor enhancement via tree planting and management.

The partnership between the WFEEF and USFWS started in 2005 with the restoration of 2,000 feet of stream and more than three acres of wetlands at the Quaker Run Project site in 2005. This collaborative pilot project among the WFEEF, USFWS, Department of Environmental protection and Coal Township was located on abandoned mine land in Coal Township, Northumberland County.

Russ Schleiden, Chairman of the Board for the WFEEF stated that, "The Quaker Run project was a good fit for the Foundation because one of our major focus areas is habitat restoration, and we look forward to completing several more habitat restoration projects thru this partnership".

The Wildlife for Everyone Endowment Foundation was established in 2004 to provide permanent private support for wildlife habitat enhancement, wildlife research and education, land preservation, and for the establishment of a Wildlife Research and Education Center.

2/8/2008