BAYFIELD, WI (WTAQ) - A conservation group in Bayfield will get part of a $3 million federal grant, to preserve 218 acres of forest land along the Marengo River in Bayfield County.

The U.S. Forest Service announced a $368,000 grant Thursday for the Bayfield Regional Conservancy, as part of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

The funding will protect a forest area with several wetlands and ponds. It will offer a variety of recreational opportunities, like hunting and fishing – and it will keep protecting a habitat for a number of rare species.

The forestry grants are designed to improve water quality.

Projects are also being funded in Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and New York State.