Incidental Take Notice For Grant County

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) proposes to issue an authorization for the incidental taking of a rare frog, which may result from the Grant County Fish Habitat Improvement Project.

Incidental take refers to the unintentional loss of individual endangered or threatened animals or plants that does not put the species' overall population at risk.

The DNR proposes to improve fish habitat at two locations in Grant County. The project will address bank stabilization issues, excessive channel widening and entrenchment, as well as the lack of instream habitat for brown trout, on the Grant River and Big Green River. 

The presence of the state endangered Blanchard’s cricket frog is confirmed in the vicinity of the project site. DNR staff determined that the proposed project may result in the incidental taking of some frogs. However, overall habitat for the cricket frog will be improved as a result of the project.

The DNR concludes that the proposed project will minimize the impacts to the species by adhering to conservation measures; is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence and recovery of the state population of the species or the whole plant-animal community of which it is a part; and has benefit to the public health, safety or welfare that justifies the action.

Conservation measures to minimize the adverse effect on the endangered species will be incorporated into the proposed Incidental Take Authorization. Copies of the jeopardy assessment and background information on the Blanchard’s cricket frog are available by visiting the DNR Incidental Take Public Notices webpage or upon request from DNR Conservation Biologist Rori Paloski at 608-516-3742 or Rori.Paloski@wisconsin.gov.

The public is encouraged to submit written comments regarding project-related impacts to the Blanchard’s cricket frog by April 22, 2023 to:

Department of Natural Resources
c/o Rori Paloski, DNR Conservation Biologist
101 S. Webster St.
Madison, WI 53707
Rori.Paloski@wisconsin.gov or 608-516-3742