ABCs Conservation Programs

ABCs of ABCs of USDA Conservation ProgramsUSDA Conservation Programs

Duane HovorkaDuane Hovorka

National Wildlife National Wildlife FederationFederation

Acronyms R UsAcronyms R UsAMAAMACRPCRPCREPCREPCCRPCCRPCSPCSPEQIPEQIP

FPP/FRPPFPP/FRPPFSAFSAGRPGRP

HFRPHFRPNRCSNRCSTSPTSP

USDAUSDAWHIPWHIPWRPWRP

AA is for is for AgricultureAgriculture

50% of the USA is cropland, private 50% of the USA is cropland, private forestland, pasture, or rangelandforestland, pasture, or rangeland

Habitat Conservation ProgramsHabitat Conservation Programs

Farm Bill Conservation ProgramsFarm Bill Conservation Programs

Conservation Reserve ProgramConservation Reserve Program 34 million acres34 million acresWetlands Reserve ProgramWetlands Reserve Program 2 million acres 2 million acresGrasslands Reserve ProgramGrasslands Reserve Program 1 million acres 1 million acres

TotalTotal 37 million acres37 million acres

Habitat Conservation ProgramsHabitat Conservation Programs

Farm Bill Conservation ProgramsFarm Bill Conservation Programs

Conservation Reserve ProgramConservation Reserve Program 34 million acres34 million acresWetlands Reserve ProgramWetlands Reserve Program 2 million acres 2 million acresGrasslands Reserve ProgramGrasslands Reserve Program 1 million acres 1 million acres

TotalTotal 37 million acres37 million acres

Other Habitat Conservation ProgramsOther Habitat Conservation Programs

Nat. Wild. Refuge lands (minus AK)Nat. Wild. Refuge lands (minus AK) 26 million acres26 million acresPittman-Robertson (acquired lands)Pittman-Robertson (acquired lands) 4 million acres 4 million acresDuck Unlimited (conserved to date)Duck Unlimited (conserved to date) 11 million acres11 million acresPrivate Land Trusts (under easement)Private Land Trusts (under easement) 5 million acres 5 million acres

USDA On-Farm ConservationUSDA On-Farm ConservationFiscal Year 2007Fiscal Year 2007

CRPCRP $2,021 million$2,021 million EQIPEQIP $1,005 million$1,005 million CSP CSP $ 237 million$ 237 million WRPWRP $ 228 million$ 228 million FPPFPP $ 73 million$ 73 million WHIPWHIP $ 40 million$ 40 million GRPGRP$ 2 million$ 2 million

Conservation Reserve ProgramConservation Reserve Program

Marginal Cropland Planted Marginal Cropland Planted to Native Grass Mixes to Native Grass Mixes

10-15 Year Contracts, 10-15 Year Contracts, Rental PaymentsRental Payments

50% Cost-Share for 50% Cost-Share for Planting Grass, TreesPlanting Grass, Trees

$1.9 Billion per Year in $1.9 Billion per Year in PaymentsPayments

USDA ARS

CRP


““Whole Field” CRPWhole Field” CRP

Landowners Submit Bids Landowners Submit Bids During General Signup During General Signup

Selection Based on Selection Based on Environmental BenefitsEnvironmental Benefits

Managed Haying, GrazingManaged Haying, Grazing

29.5 million acres29.5 million acres CRP


““Continuous Signup” CRPContinuous Signup” CRP

High Priority Practices High Priority Practices Buffer strips along streamsBuffer strips along streams WindbreaksWindbreaks Wildlife buffersWildlife buffers Shallow water for wildlifeShallow water for wildlife Grass waterwaysGrass waterways

2.2 million acres enrolled 2.2 million acres enrolled

USDA

CRP


““Continuous Signup” CRPContinuous Signup” CRP

Special InitiativesSpecial Initiatives Wetlands (several)Wetlands (several) Upland Bird BuffersUpland Bird Buffers Bottomland Hardwood TreesBottomland Hardwood Trees Longleaf Pine PlantingsLongleaf Pine Plantings State Acres for Wildlife State Acres for Wildlife

EnhancementEnhancement

0.8 million acres enrolled0.8 million acres enrolled

Ron Nichols, NRCS

CRP


““Conservation Reserve Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program” Enhancement Program”

State/Local Partners State/Local Partners Provide Additional FundingProvide Additional Funding

Target State/Local Natural Target State/Local Natural Resource ProblemResource Problem

1.1 million acres enrolled1.1 million acres enrolled

USDA

CRP

CRP BenefitsCRP Benefits Upland habitat Upland habitat

(pheasants, quail, (pheasants, quail, prairie chickens)prairie chickens)

Buffer strips improve Buffer strips improve water qualitywater quality Ron Nichols, USDA

USDA Research: 4% Increase in CRP Acres =

22% Increase in PheasantsCRP

CRP ChallengesCRP Challenges Expiring CRP ContractsExpiring CRP Contracts

Sept. 2008Sept. 2008 1.2 million acres 1.2 million acres Sept. 2009Sept. 2009 3.9 million acres 3.9 million acres Sept. 2010Sept. 2010 4.5 million acres 4.5 million acres Sept. 2011Sept. 2011 4.4 million acres 4.4 million acres Sept. 2012Sept. 2012 5.6 million acres 5.6 million acres

19.6 million 19.6 million acresacres

Ron Nichols, USDA

CRP

Wetlands Reserve ProgramWetlands Reserve Program

Restore and protect Restore and protect cropped wetlandscropped wetlands

2 million acres 2 million acres enrolledenrolled

1 million acres to be 1 million acres to be enrolledenrolled

US Fish & Wildlife Service

WRP


ProtectionProtection through through easements, contractseasements, contracts

30-year and permanent 30-year and permanent easementseasements

Restoration agreementsRestoration agreements


WRP


RestorationRestoration through through cost-share agreementscost-share agreements

75-100% for permanent 75-100% for permanent

50-75% for others50-75% for others

Restore hydrology, plant Restore hydrology, plant communitycommunity


WRP


Wetlands Reserve Wetlands Reserve Enhancement ProgramEnhancement Program

Leverage state/local Leverage state/local fundingfunding

Target regional/state/ Target regional/state/ local resource concernlocal resource concern


WRP

Grassland Reserve ProgramGrassland Reserve Program

Protect and restore Protect and restore grasslandsgrasslands

1 million acres 1 million acres enrolled since 2002enrolled since 2002

1.2 million acres to be 1.2 million acres to be enrolledenrolled

GRP


ProtectionProtection through through easements, contractseasements, contracts

Permanent easements Permanent easements (60% of $$)(60% of $$)

10-20 year rental 10-20 year rental agreements (40%)agreements (40%)

Land trusts can hold and Land trusts can hold and enforce easementsenforce easements

GRP


RestorationRestoration through through cost-share agreementscost-share agreements

50% cost-share50% cost-share

Grazing management Grazing management plansplans

GRP

Other Easement ProgramsOther Easement Programs

Farmland Protection Farmland Protection ProgramProgram Protect ag land and Protect ag land and

related conservation related conservation valuesvalues

Helps entities buy Helps entities buy conservation conservation easementseasements

$121 million in 2009$121 million in 2009

Healthy Forests Healthy Forests Reserve ProgramReserve Program Protection and Protection and

restoration of non-restoration of non-industrial forestsindustrial forests

$10 million in 2009$10 million in 2009

Environmental Quality Environmental Quality Incentives ProgramIncentives Program

Payments to implement Payments to implement conservation practices on conservation practices on working landsworking lands

Usually based on share Usually based on share of cost (50-75%)of cost (50-75%)

$1.1 billion in 2009$1.1 billion in 2009

EQIP

Environmental Quality Environmental Quality Incentives ProgramIncentives Program

Fish & wildlife benefits Fish & wildlife benefits are generally indirectare generally indirect Grazing managementGrazing management Water qualityWater quality Irrigation managementIrrigation management Pest managementPest management

Contracts typically focus Contracts typically focus on single practiceon single practice

Jeff Vanuga, NRCS

EQIP

Conservation Stewardship ProgramConservation Stewardship Program

Whole-farm approach on Whole-farm approach on working landsworking lands

Multiple resourcesMultiple resources

Pays to install and Pays to install and maintain practices that maintain practices that benefit resourcesbenefit resources

Awaiting new rulesAwaiting new rulesCSP

Conservation Stewardship ProgramConservation Stewardship Program

16 million acres 16 million acres enrolled 2002-2007enrolled 2002-2007

12.8 million acres per 12.8 million acres per year enrollment targetyear enrollment target

Mixed bag for wildlifeMixed bag for wildlife

New focus on 3-5 New focus on 3-5 resources per arearesources per areaCSP

Wildlife Habitat Incentives ProgramWildlife Habitat Incentives Program

Cost-share to Restore Cost-share to Restore or Install Fish & Wildlife or Install Fish & Wildlife Habitat Habitat

Up to 75% of costUp to 75% of cost

$85 million per year$85 million per year

WHIP

Wildlife Habitat Incentives ProgramWildlife Habitat Incentives Program

Only major program Only major program focused primarily on wildlifefocused primarily on wildlife

Priority for projects Priority for projects addressing national/ addressing national/ regional/state conservation regional/state conservation initiativesinitiatives

Ponds, food plots, rare Ponds, food plots, rare habitat, restore prairie, habitat, restore prairie, remove damsremove damsWHIP

Open FieldsOpen Fields

Funds to pay farmers Funds to pay farmers to allow access to to allow access to private landprivate land

$50 million over four $50 million over four years 2009-2012years 2009-2012

Regional ProgramsRegional Programs

Agricultural Management Assistance Agricultural Management Assistance Chesapeake Bay ProgramChesapeake Bay Program Colorado River Salinity ControlColorado River Salinity Control Dessert Terminal LakesDessert Terminal Lakes Great Lakes Basin Great Lakes Basin

Technical AssistanceTechnical Assistance

Funds to pay NRCS Funds to pay NRCS employees employees Deliver programsDeliver programs Provide program advice Provide program advice Conservation planningConservation planning

Technical Service Technical Service ProvidersProviders Certified to provide advice Certified to provide advice

in their expertisein their expertise

Jeff Vanuga, NRCS

Duane [email protected]

Technology

ABCs Conservation Programs