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--></style></head><body lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple"><div class="WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal">We’re happy to announce that the Xerces Society is partnering with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to map the distribution of milkweed and monarch butterflies in those two states. The project is funded by a grant to Idaho DFG from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s State Wildlife Grants program. These grants focus on large-scale conservation projects to conserve and recover species of greatest conservation need and their habitats.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br>The project partners will compile historical data on monarch butterfly and milkweed occurrence as well as gather new records—from surveys and through the development of an online milkweed reporting system that can be used by citizen scientists—to map the distribution of these species. By doing so, the partners will identify key habitats essential to monarch conservation and identify threats that may adversely affect them. </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">This assessment of both milkweed and monarchs will allow them to be integrated into the State Wildlife Action Plans and steps taken that will reduce threats to both. Information, data, and tools developed by the partners will be shared with decision makers, land managers, researchers and other stakeholders to facilitate on the ground action to support the conservation of monarch butterflies and other pollinator species. </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Our thanks go to staff at Idaho DFG and Washington DFW for their work in the development of this project. </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">To read the USFWS announcement and see a full list of SWG grant recipients, please go to <a href="http://www.fws.gov/news/ShowNews.cfm?ID=B07F30F0-EBC3-40BE-B417ED4BF268A59E" target="_blank">http://www.fws.gov/news/ShowNews.cfm?ID=B07F30F0-EBC3-40BE-B417ED4BF268A59E</a>.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Matthew</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">________</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Matthew Shepherd</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt">, Communications Director</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt">The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation </span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Protecting the Life that Sustains Us</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Stay in touch: </span><b><span style="color:red"><a href="http://www.xerces.org/"><span style="color:red;text-decoration:none">xerces.org</span></a></span></b> <b><span style="color:#17365d"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Xerces-Society/193182577358618"><span style="color:#17365d;text-decoration:none">Facebook</span></a></span></b> <b><span style="color:#984806"><a href="http://www.xerces.org/enewsletters/"><span style="color:#984806;text-decoration:none">E-newsletter</span></a></span></b> <b><span style="color:#0070c0"><a href="https://twitter.com/xerces_society"><span style="color:blue;text-decoration:none">Twitter</span></a></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">628 NE Broadway, Ste 200, Portland, OR 97232-1324, USA</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Tel: (503) 232-6639 ext. 110; Toll free: 1-855-232 6639 ext. 110; Cell: (503) 807-1577</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#0070c0"><a href="mailto:mdshepherd@xerces.org"><span style="color:#0070c0">mdshepherd@xerces.org</span></a> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation is an international nonprofit organization that protects wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitat. To join the Society, make a donation, or read about our work, please visit <span style="color:#0070c0"><a href="http://www.xerces.org/"><span style="color:#0070c0">www.xerces.org</span></a></span>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div></body></html>