Riparian Planting Mini-Grants

With the Conservation Districts public education outreach on maintaining a healthy riparian area, and the increasing development along streams and rivers throughout Missoula County, Missoula Conservation District has funded this mini-grant program to promote not only maintaining but restoring riparian areas along our streams and rivers.

The District hopes this program will be an effective education tool to show landowners how important riparian vegetation is to the land, to the landowner, and to the community.

Program Rules and Funding - Total funding limit of $5,000/year by Conservation District for program, - Limit/Person or Group of $500.00/year, - Application period is year-round, or continuous sign-up, - Projects would be based on their own merit, not ranked or competing against each other as in the Districts regular cost-share program, - Projects are approved for funding once a month at regular District meetings by the Board of Supervisors, - District staff will handle all the technical assistance, determination of eligibility, and follow-up for the Board, - Payment of mini grant for reimbursement of completed planting/seeding only.

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Riparian Planting Mini-Grants

Plant and Planting Rules

- Must be for planting and seeding only with native vegetation, - Native woody plantings can be containerized seedlings, bare-root seedlings, or willow/cottonwood cuttings, - Native grass/sedge revegetation can be for grass seeding or grass plugs, - All riparian planting and seeding must be within 50 feet of waters edge.

Allowable Costs
There are set allowable costs for plants, plant protection, grass seed, and labor: Containerized, bare-root stock - $5.00/plant Willow or cottonwood cuttings - $1.00/cutting (labor only) Deer protectors - $1.00/plant Weed mats - $1.00/mat Grass seed - $5.00/lb. Grass/sedge plugs - $1.00/plug Erosion control fabric - $5.00/sq.yd. Labor - $10.00/hour

310 Law Rules

- Anything other than hand planting into the existing bank would require a 310 permit on perennial streams/rivers. - 310 Violators are not eligible to apply for this program in order to restore the area of the violation required by the District.

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