Toussaint East and West Land Acquisition and Habitat Restoration Project

Description

Ducks Unlimited (DU) and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, (Service) Midwest Region will work cooperatively to acquire three parcels of land totaling more or less 203 acres located within the Maumee Area of Concern of Lake Erie and restore the properties to native fish and wildlife habitats benefiting the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). Following the completion of the project, DU will donate the restored properties to Service to be managed as part of the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Oak Harbor, OH. This is a notice of intent to award a single source cooperative agreement to Ducks Unlimited without competition under justification 505DM2.14 B. (4). due to the collective expertise and unique qualifications to conduct facilitated land acquisitions utilizing their land trust, Wetland America Trust, their professional engineering and construction management staff capable of engineering, designing, and restoring complex coastal wetlands and other critical Great Lakes habitats, and because they are able to accomplish the project within the critical, time sensitive time-frame for the GLRI funds. In addition, DU has a relationship with at least one of the landowners critical to the success of the project due to previous unsuccessful efforts to acquire the properties. Competition for the funds is not practical due to the critical, time sensitive challenges to acquire the strategically important properties and complete complex coastal wetland habitat restoration engineering and design utilizing GLRI funds. Substantial involvement on the part of the Service is anticipated for the successful completion of the activities to be funded. In particular, the Service will be responsible for the following: 1. Identifying properties within the acquisition boundary of Ottawa NWRC and approve the acquisition of the properties. 2. Meet with landowners during all stages of the acquisition process in support of the long-term strategic habitat conservation efforts and community engagement. 3. Conduct Level 1 Environmental Surveys to ensure each property is compliant with Service policy. 4. Developing a Habitat Restoration Plan and work with DU to review, finalize, and implement the plan on the newly acquired properties. 5. Review and approve DU engineering designs, permit applications, and other administrative documents needed to accomplish the cooperative project. 6. The Service will develop NEPA, NHPA, ESA, and other environmental compliance documents for the restoration work 7. Service will be responsible for the restoration of trees, shrubs, and native grasses, providing administrative on-the--round oversight and approval for the contracted restoration services to ensure the restoration meets FWS conservation goals and objectives. 8. Service will monitor restoration sites for invasive species and work with DU to map, control, and monitor invasive species issues during the project time-line.

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