JBLM gets $3.5 million to preserve sensitive prairie land

JBLM gets grant for program that aids butterflies and other wildlife and protects training area.



JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD -- The Department of Defense is giving a $3.5 million grant to Joint Base Lewis-McChord to preserve sensitive prairie land and offset some of the environmental effects of military training, the Tacoma News Tribune reported.

Several agencies partnered with the Defense Department to protect the threatened Mazam pocket gophers, Taylor's checkerspot butterflies and streak-horned larks, according to the Tribune.

The Center for Natural Lands Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife and U.S. Department of Agriculture are several of the agencies that have joined forces to protect the habitat.

JBLM won the grant through the Defense Department's Readiness and Envorinmenal Protection Integration Program.