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MLI Conservation Support Services
Upper Mississippi National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. Photo Credit: USFWS
The Midwest Landscape Initiative provides free assistance to all who have an interest in conserving the Midwest’s fish, wildlife, and plants. We can provide a regional lens to your work, connect you with others in the conservation community, introduce you to relevant resources and expertise, and incorporate your current planning tools and data into an outcome that meets your needs.
As of December 2024, the Midwest Landscape Initiative has worked with partners to impact over $54 million, 111,000 acres, and 800 river miles towards a thriving network of lands, waters, and communities.
Visit the MLI in Action map to see how we’ve worked with various groups to further the impacts of their projects.
What we do
Whether you are conserving a few acres or thousands, we want to work with you! We collaborate with all types of partners at any project stage: ideation, planning and coordination, applying for funding, and beyond.
We can connect you with others and open the door to new partners, attract and direct conservation funding, or align work across multiple organizations. See the types of support we typically provide:
Custom Project Reports
A short, technical report highlighting the benefits of your project and showing how your project aligns with one or more of our tools:
- Midwest Conservation Blueprint
- Regional Species of Greatest Conservation Need Database
Letters of Support
A letter from the Midwest Landscape Initiative supporting your project. To be considered for a letter of support, projects must:
- Align with the mission, vision, and goals of the MLI
- Support conservation or address research needs for MLI focal areas
- Promote innovations or outgrowths of MLI priorities or focal areas
Facilitation and Coordination
Assistance for groups who are working on collaborative, multi-jurisdictional projects. Support varies, but may include:
- Meeting planning and facilitation
- Alignment of goals and project activities between multiple groups
- Assistance with funding proposals
How to get started
All it takes is an email! Please reach out to our staff to learn more about how the Midwest Landscape Initiative can help you.
Step 1: Contact MLI Staff
Provide us details about your project or idea, such as:
- Goals and activities
- Partner(s)
- Geographic area
Step 2: Evaluate Needs
MLI Staff will assess what support is needed and provide follow-up, which may include:
- Scheduling a call
- Preparing a custom project report
- Other data preparation
Step 3: Further Support
All parties will collaborate as necessary to meet project needs. Supporting actions may include:
- A letter of support
- Meeting or event facilitation
- Inter- or intra- group coordination