What Partners for Fish and Wildlife Is
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program funds voluntary habitat restoration on private land. Unlike ACEP WRE, which uses permanent or 30-year easements, PFW uses restoration agreements — typically 10 years — that do not permanently encumber the land deed. When the agreement expires, you are not required to maintain the habitat, though most landowners do.
The program covers wetland restoration, native warm-season grass establishment, and bottomland hardwood planting on private agricultural land. USFWS covers 50 to 100 percent of approved restoration costs, depending on project type and how closely the project aligns with local conservation priorities. The landowner receives no easement payment — PFW funds the work, not a restriction on the land.
Southern Illinois sits within one of the most active PFW landscapes in Illinois. The Cache River watershed, the Big Muddy River bottomlands, and the upland areas around Shawnee National Forest represent priority habitat for migratory waterfowl, neotropical songbirds, Northern Bobwhite quail, and a range of species of greatest conservation need. Projects that fall within or adjacent to these priority areas tend to receive favorable consideration.
Partners for Fish and Wildlife does not permanently restrict your land. If you want wetland or habitat restoration on ground you might want to sell, develop, or return to crop production after 10 years, PFW is the better fit. You get the restoration at little or no out-of-pocket cost without encumbering the deed. ACEP WRE pays more money but attaches a restriction that runs with the land forever or for 30 years.
What PFW Funds in Southern Illinois
Wetland restoration is the highest-priority project type for PFW in most of Southern Illinois. Prior converted bottomland that still has wetland hydrology potential qualifies. This covers the same type of ground that ACEP WRE targets: drained floodplain, tiled bottomland, former sloughs and backwaters. The restoration work is the same — tile removal, basin grading, water control structures — the funding structure and land restriction terms are different.
Bottomland hardwood establishment funds tree planting on floodplain cropland that is adjacent to existing forest or waterways. USFWS provides approved seedlings or cost-shares on commercial tree planting. Site preparation, which often involves disking, mowing, and herbicide treatment before planting, is typically included in the funded scope.
Native warm-season grass restoration establishes native grasses and forbs on upland crop fields and retired pasture. Big bluestem, indiangrass, switchgrass, and native forb mixes create upland habitat for grassland bird species. This project type typically involves fewer earthwork requirements than wetland restoration but does require site preparation.
PFW is not a formula-funded entitlement like EQIP. USFWS biologists prioritize projects based on available funding, local conservation needs, and how well each project advances recovery of priority species. Contact the USFWS Illinois Ecological Services Field Office directly to discuss whether your property and project type align with current priorities before investing time in a detailed proposal.
How the Agreement Works
PFW is entirely voluntary. No enrollment period, no competitive ranking. You approach USFWS with a project idea, a biologist evaluates the habitat potential, and if the project fits current priorities, USFWS develops a restoration plan and cost estimate. The landowner signs a 10-year restoration agreement committing to maintain the habitat for the agreement term. USFWS funds the approved restoration work.
The agreement specifies what work will be done, how it will be maintained, and what the landowner's obligations are for the 10-year term. Typical maintenance obligations include controlling invasive species within the restoration area, not draining or filling the wetland during the agreement term, and reporting any damage or encroachment. The obligations are light compared to an easement but are real contractual commitments.
At the end of the 10 years, the agreement expires. USFWS has no further claim on the land. The landowner can maintain the habitat, modify it, or return the land to agricultural use without penalty. Most landowners renew or maintain the habitat informally because the restored land is often worth more as habitat than the marginal cropland it replaced.
How the Payments Work
PFW is a reimbursement program for the restoration work, not a payment for the land's use. USFWS funds the approved scope of restoration work — this is not income to the landowner, it is coverage of contractor costs. The landowner does not receive a check for the value of any restriction.
USFWS typically handles procurement of the restoration work directly, issuing a contract to the restoration contractor and paying them directly. In some cases USFWS reimburses the landowner for contractor costs after the work is completed and inspected. Either way, the landowner's out-of-pocket cost for the restoration work itself should be minimal to zero if the project falls within USFWS's funded scope.
Site prep work, fencing, and other incidental items may or may not be in scope depending on the project and available funding. Clarify the full cost coverage before committing to the project.