Last week, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced the availability of $450 million through the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) to restore critical wetlands and protect agricultural lands and grasslands. ACEP can help land owners improve environmental quality and wildlife habitat, as well as protect open spaces and/or historic spaces. ACEP’s wetland protection and restoration provisions can […]
wetlands
Leveraging Conservation Dollars: Agricultural Practices that Deliver
Editor’s Note: This guest blog was written by Duane Hovorka, Agriculture Program Director at the Izaak Walton League of America, which is a long-time member of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. To download a copy of the full report, a summary, and the League’s 10 Steps to Leverage Conservation Dollars, visit the Izaak Walton League […]
Threats to Conservation Easement Funding Put Farmland and Wetlands at Risk
America’s wetlands, grasslands, and farmland are under increasing threat of conversion to other land uses – wetlands and grasslands are routinely targeted for conversion to crop production, while existing farmland is often threatened by conversion to commercial or residential uses. It is critical that we protect these lands and their existing uses because each serves […]
$15 Million Awarded for Wetland Conservation Projects
Wetland Reserve Easements, like those funded as part of the Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership (WREP), provide private landowners with the resources they need to help protect and conserve vulnerable wetlands. Funding from WREP enables landowners to reduce the impact of flooding, enhance and conserve wildlife habitat, improve groundwater quality, and create space for outdoor recreational […]
$15 Million Available to Protect and Enhance Agricultural Wetlands
On Thursday, March 9th, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) made up to $15 million available for conservation partnerships that provide technical and financial assistance for on-farm wetland conservation in fiscal year (FY) 2017. These funds are made available through the Natural Resource Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership (WREP), a key component of […]
New ACEP Rule Guides Long-Term Conservation of Farmland, Grassland, and Wetlands
The pressure on farmers and rural landowners to turn wetlands and grasslands into production, or productive farm and ranchland into commercial and residential developments, has been increasing for decades. In order to combat development pressures and incentivize conservation over elimination of ecologically valuable lands, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers the Agriculture Conservation Easement […]
USDA Awards $44.6 million to Support Wetland Enhancements
Rising demand for crop land conversion and developable land has made America’s wetlands some of our most threatened natural resources. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership (WREP) helps restore wetlands by giving private landowners federal funding to help them protect, restore, and enhance wetlands through long-term easements. On July 7, 2016 […]
New Data on National Wetland, Grassland, and Farmland Conservation Efforts
Few natural resources provide greater ecological benefits than wetlands and grasslands. Wetlands and grasslands filter water and reduce pollution, help prevent and mitigate the impacts of flooding, and provide critical wildlife habitat. Unfortunately, they are also some of our most threatened resources. Farmers and landowners face pressures to convert wetlands and grasslands into croplands, as […]
New Mitigation Program Will Help Offset Wetland Losses
In an effort to offset the widespread draining of wetlands for agricultural production, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has begun to fund wetland “banks” to help landowners compensate for negative impacts made to wetlands on their properties. On Thursday, January 28, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service began soliciting proposals from states, local governments and […]