Connecticut Conservation Partnership Program Selected for Funding

Brunilda Velez-Diaz, Acting State Conservationist for the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Connecticut, has announced a second sign up for the  Connecticut Conservation Partnership Program. Through its Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), NRCS in Connecticut provides funding for this public/private partnership between the Connecticut Land Conservation Council (CLCC) and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). The RCPP funds provided by NRCS has been designated for locally driven, public/private partnerships to address climate change, improve the nation’s water quality, combat drought, enhance soil health, support wildlife habitat, and protect agricultural viability.

In Connecticut, more than $6.7 million was awarded to the Connecticut Conservation Partnership Program to bolster the ability of the state’s land trusts to save and enhance the region’s natural heritage, economy, and quality of life by increasing land conservation across the state. Administered by CLCC, the Connecticut Conservation Partnership Program has established a coordinated process by which land trust applicants to DEEP’s Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program (OSWA) may apply to NRCS’ Agricultural Land Easement (ALE) program as a source of matching funds. Applications will be accepted by NRCS on a continuing basis; however, the second batching date for U.S. Held Easements is December 8, 2023.

For more information about the project, contact CLCC Project Specialist Yaw Darko at yodarko@ctconservation.org.