Funding Now Available to Renovate Shelterbelts and Restore Forested Riparian Areas

Application Deadline August 11, 2010, through NRCS

SALINA, KS, July 27, 2010 – Agriculture producers in Kansas, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska are now eligible to renovate shelterbelts and restore forested riparian buffers under two Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI) proposals. The Central Great Plains Shelterbelt Renovation and the Central Great Plains Forested Riparian Buffer CCPI proposals will target shelterbelt renovations in all four states. Sign-up begins July 26 and the deadline to be considered for this year’s funding is August 11, 2010. Producers need to contact their local Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office to sign up.

The two CCPI proposals are part of a pool of 26 projects in 15 states approved by the NRCS in Washington, D.C., on July 14, 2010. CCPI helps agricultural producers achieve natural resource benefits such as clean air, clean water, productive soils, and abundant wildlife.

“Through CCPI, NRCS is able to utilize the resources and capabilities of non-federal partners along with USDA technical and financial resources to implement conservation on working farms, ranches, and forest lands,” said Eric B. Banks, Kansas NRCS State Conservationist, Salina.

“With these initiatives, the Kansas Forest Service, in partnership with NRCS, will be able to address two areas of critical need in Kansas,” said Larry Biles, State Forester. “Many shelterbelts in Kansas and throughout the central Great Plains are old and are no longer providing the benefits that they used to. CCPI will provide landowners with a valuable tool to restore the functions of these shelterbelts,” added Biles.

Forests along rivers and streams were historically important forest types in the Great Plains. “These forest areas are in decline due to human-caused changes to river channels and stream flows,” said Biles. “Many groups have focused on restoring forested riparian areas and CCPI will fit nicely into those efforts.”

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide $817,140 in financial assistance in Fiscal Year 2010 for the CCPI projects in Kansas. These CCPI projects will work through the existing Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to leverage additional services and resources from the state forestry agencies in the four states and other non-federal partners to implement conservation on working farms, ranches, and forest lands. CCPI is administered by NRCS.

Both CCPI proposals apply to all agricultural lands in the four states. Any producers eligible for EQIP funding can participate in the program. In Kansas, socially disadvantaged, limited resource, and beginning farmers and ranchers will receive a higher payment rate for conservation practices related to CCPI.

Additional information specific to CCPI projects is available from your local USDA Service Center from the NRCS staff or at www.ks.nrcs.usda.gov/programs.

Last Modified: 07/29/2010