This bill would revise and recast the program to authorize the inclusion of direct payments or other incentives to encourage landowners, as defined, to voluntarily cultivate or retain upland cover crops, cereal grains, grasses, forbs, pollinator plants, or a combination thereof to provide Existing law requires the department to post on its internet website budget information and a brief description for all projects funded from the Upland Game Bird Account. Specified requirements pertaining to the Upland Game Bird Account have been met. Existing law requires an advisory committee, as determined by the department, to review and provide comments to the department on all proposed projects funded by the Upland Game Bird Account to help ensure that Existing law provides that moneys in the account are to be available, upon appropriation, to the Department of Fish and Wildlife to be used solely for the purpose of acquiring land, completing projects and implementing programs to benefit upland game bird species, and expanding public hunting opportunities and related public outreach. Under existing law, moneys derived from upland game bird hunting validations are required to be deposited in the Upland Game Bird Account in the Fish and Game Preservation Fund.
The amount allocated from the account for administrative costs shall be limited to the reasonable costs associated with administration of the programs and activities described in this section.(1) Existing law makes it unlawful to take upland game birds without first procuring a hunting license and an upland game bird hunting validation. The department may also use funds from the Upland Game Bird Account to pay for administrative and enforcement costs of the programs and activities described in this section. Any land acquired with funds from the Upland Game Bird Account shall be acquired in fee title or protected with a conservation easement and, to the extent possible, be open or provide access to the public for upland game bird hunting. Limited to, enhancing upland game bird habitat. These funds shall be expended solely for the purpose of acquiring land, completing projects and implementing programs to benefit upland game bird species, and expanding public hunting opportunities and related public outreach, including, but not (c) Funds deposited in the Upland Game Bird Account shall be available for expenditure upon appropriation by the Legislature to the department. The bill would require the program provisions to be implemented only if a sufficient amount of game bird stamp funds, federal grants, or other moneys are secured, as determined by the department. The bill would authorize the department to enter into grants or contracts directly with landowners, and would authorize the department to enter into grants or contracts with public and private entities, including nonprofit organizations, and California Native American tribes to help the department implement the program. The bill would additionally authorize moneys in the Nesting Bird Habitat Incentive Program Account to be used by the department for reasonable administrative and monitoring costs associated with the implementation of the program. This bill would revise and recast the program to authorize the inclusion of direct payments or other incentives to encourage landowners, as defined, to voluntarily cultivate or retain upland cover crops, cereal grains, grasses, forbs, pollinator plants, or a combination thereof to provide waterfowl and other game bird nesting habitatĬover for certain purposes, including encouraging the use of agricultural lands for wildlife habitat, as specified.
(1) Existing law makes it unlawful to take upland game birds without first procuring a hunting license and an upland game bird hunting validation.