Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership Application Announcement

June 14, 2024

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is hosting an applicant Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership (WREP) proposal workshop on June 20, 2024, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. EDT to discuss program participation and FY 2025 enrollment options. Partners interested in attending should contact Ken Kriese, national Agricultural Conservation Easement Program – Wetland Reserve Easement (ACEP-WRE) program manager, at kenneth.kriese@usda.gov. The session will be recorded and made available to NRCS staff and partners on the NRCS ACEP-WRE-WREP webpage.    

The Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership (WREP) is a voluntary program through which NRCS enters into agreements with eligible partners to leverage resources to carry out high priority wetland protection, restoration, and enhancement and to improve wildlife habitat.  WREP enables effective integration of wetland restoration on working agricultural landscapes, providing meaningful benefits to farmers and ranchers who enroll in the program and to the communities where the wetlands exist.

Eligible partners include Tribes, state and local governments, and nongovernmental organizations. Potential partners may submit WREP proposals for an individual landowner project, a group of landowner projects, or specific wetland and habitat types within a watershed or geographic area.  Individual landowners may not submit WREP proposals through this submission process.   

In FY2024, NRCS will make up to $50 million available for WREP projects nation-wide that will enhance habitats on existing easements or will result in new enrollments under a permanent easement, 30-year easement, or 30-year contract on acreage owned by Indian tribes.  Proposals that provide outreach to new customers or are anticipated to benefit disadvantaged communities; support acquisition activities; and assist with planning and implementing restoration practices on new enrollments or existing easements associated with funded WREP proposals will be prioritized. In addition, proposals with significant and detailed outreach and support plans to encourage enrollment of historically underserved landowners will be prioritized.

Partners interested in WREP are encouraged to work with their NRCS state office in developing a proposal that meets the criterial for an Agricultural Conservation Easement.   Proposals for WREP in Connecticut must be submitted to Carol Grasis, Assistant State Conservationist – Programs, at carol.grasis@usda.gov with a courtesy copy to NRCS.ProgramAgreements@usda.gov  by August 16, 2024.

More Information 

To learn more about NRCS programs, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center.  Producers can also apply for NRCS programs, manage conservation plans and contracts, and view and print conservation maps by logging into their farmers.gov account. If you don’t have an account, sign up today.  

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