New funding available for wetlands proposals

"America's wetlands play crucial roles in providing habitat for a wide variety of wildlife and plants and in sustaining healthy ecosystems," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "The wetland restoration and enhancement actions made possible through WREP will maximize wildlife habitat values, water quality, and improve the overall environment."

NRCS State Conservationists will evaluate partner proposals using a competitive process. Priority will be given to proposals that:

• Have a high potential to achieve wetland restoration and significantly improve wildlife habitat;
• Significantly leverage non-federal financial and technical resources and coordinate with other local, state, tribal, or federal efforts;
• Demonstrate the partners' history of working cooperatively with landowners;
• Provide innovation in wetland protection, restoration, and enhancement methods and outcome-based performance measures and methods;
• Provide evidence that wetland restoration and enhancement activities will be completed within 2 years of easement closing;
• Provide for monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of the restoration activities;
• Provide for matching financial or technical assistance funds to assist landowners with the implementation of the Wetlands Reserve Plan of Operations and associated contracts;
• Facilitate the submission of landowner applications; and
• Provide for outreach to, and participation of, beginning farmers or ranchers, socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers, limited resource farmers or ranchers, and Indian tribes within the area covered by the agreement.

For additional information about WREP please visit: http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=39939238&msgid=210350&act=AHT2&c=590864&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nrcs.usda.gov%2Fprograms%2Fwrp%2Findex.html to view a copy of the national request for proposals published in the Federal Register.

For information about other NRCS conservation programs, visit: http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=39939238&msgid=210350&act=AHT2&c=590864&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nrcs.usda.gov%2F.