[Pollinator] Federal Highway Admin. help for habitat research

[Kimberly Winter]

>From our NAPPC Partner Bonnie Harper-Lore (this relates to the recent 
discussion about wildlife, pollinators, and roadway plantings!):

The FHWA, Natural Environment Team no longer has environmental research 
funding.

The ONLY way we can get it back, is IF our stakeholders (YOU) take time to 
say what you want.
This sounds desperate, because it is.  PLEASE FORWARD AND REGISTER TOO!!!

Below is a one page explanation from all my team members.  Your help will 
only take 5 minutes.  It REALLY is that easy.

Just visit:  http://knowledge.fhwa.dot.gov/cops/step.nsf

In four easy steps you will help us help critters, wetlands, brownfields, 
reduced mowing, biodivsersity, water quality, conferences, and conservation 
in general.  Remember our roads run through your lands.  Our decisions and 
capabilities affect all of us.

Thanks for your help.  My team and I really appreciate it!   We hope to 
partner with you in the near future!

Sincerely,
Bonnie

Bonnie L. Harper-Lore
Restoration Ecologist
Office of Environment, HEPN-30
Federal Highway Administration
360 Jackson Street, Ste. 500
St. Paul, MN  55101
651-291-6104


STEP Research Program, 2006

Your friendly FHWA Natural Environment Team needs your input on our new 
approach to funding research!  STEP is the only source of funds to conduct 
all FHWA research on planning and environmental issues.  Stakeholder input 
will take priority.  This is your opportunity.

What is STEP?
Surface Transportation Environment and Planning Cooperative Research 
Program.
STEP is the new research funding process for FHWA Headquarters-funded 
research in 2006-2009.  The issues receiving the most input on the STEP 
website are those most likely to get priority consideration.  We need your 
help to make Natural Environment issues, such as wildlife-vehicle 
interactions, habitat, water quality, wetlands, and vegetation management,  
priorities for 2006-09 research funding!

What will STEP fund?
STEP will fund research, field demonstrations, technical transfer, 
conferences and workshops.  In fact, our two biennial conferences 
International Conference on Ecology and Transportation, as well as Weeds 
Across Borders, will be funded this way and need your support.  Grants and 
cooperative agreements are possible with a match.  Research contracts will 
not require a dollar match.

Take these four easy steps:
Only one page and about five minutes of your time should help us all!
      STEP #1:  Visit  http://knowledge.fhwa.dot.gov/cops/step.nsf.
      STEP #2:  Under Feedback Topics, chose “Environment”
      STEP #3    Under Environment, chose one of our areas:
		Water/Wetlands
		Vegetation/Wildlife Habitat
		Brownfields
		Environmental Streamling/Stewardship
      STEP#4:   Fill out the one page form with your ideas and submit.


Final deadline:  September 15, but please do not wait.  Submit today.

Your Natural Environment Team thanks you:
Paul Garrett,
Mary Gray,
Pat Cazenas,
Connie Hill,
Dennis Durbin, and
Bonnie Harper-Lore.