RCPP Project Specific Application Announcements

Richmond, Virginia, Aug. 22, 2024 - The projects listed below are the ones RCPP will have funds available for in Fiscal Year 2025:

Increasing Landscape Resiliency in Virginia’s Top Producing Agricultural Region: This project’s focus is on conservation of the Shenandoah Valley’s productive farms and forests, rural heritage and clean waters. Conservation groups working with Virginia NRCS are excited to offer landowners direct compensation for entity-held and U.S.-held conservation easements on farms and forestland through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program. Properties must be located in Augusta, Rockingham, Page, Shenandoah, Warren or Frederick counties to be eligible. Interested participants are highly encouraged to connect with a representative from Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley, Valley Conservation Council or Potomac Conservancy before applying.

Upper Clinch-Powell Watershed Partnership: The Nature Conservancy (TNC) leads an initiative to support best management conservation practices on agricultural and forestry land in Lee, Scott and Russell counties to address field sediment, nutrient and pathogen losses and aquatic habitats in the Clinch and Powell watersheds.

Virginia Headwaters Restoration Initiative: Trout Unlimited will assist with in-stream habitat and water quality improvement practices in high-priority headwater streams of the upper James River, Shenandoah River and upper South Branch Potomac watersheds in sections of Virginia where native brook trout are present. Participants eligible to participate in this project must be located within Highland, Bath, Rockbridge, Augusta, Rockingham or Shenandoah counties.  Due to required practices and Virginia NRCS engineering guidance, applicants must work with Trout Unlimited prior to application submission to complete the appropriate project assessment for their property.

Oyster Bottom Restoration through Aquaculture: Focuses on restoring degraded oyster habitat in Virginia’s tidal tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay by implementing a cost-share partnership between NRCS, the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and Virginia oyster producers. Covered counties include Accomack, Northampton, Westmoreland, Northumberland, Richmond, Lancaster, King William, King and Queen, Middlesex, Mathews, Gloucester, New Kent, Henrico, Charles City, James City, Isle of Wight and York. The program will also be applicable in the cities of Richmond, Newport News, Hampton, Suffolk, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach.

Mid-Atlantic Dairy Farmers Producing Tangible Results Through Climate Smart Solutions: This initiative aims to enhance the sustainability of dairy farms in Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia through a comprehensive program of outreach, education and the implementation of climate-smart practices. This program will target agricultural best management practice implementation in Clarke, Loudoun, Fauquier, Culpeper, Orange, Madison, Page, Shenandoah, Rockingham, Augusta, Rockbridge, Cumberland, Floyd and Franklin counties in Virginia. The project seeks to achieve significant improvements in water quality, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, enhanced soil health and greater farm efficiency while empowering Mid-Atlantic dairy farmers who are members of Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association to lead in sustainable agriculture.

Preserving Working Farms and Securing Urban Ag: This project focuses on conservation of agricultural lands through entity-held conservation easements in Henrico, Hanover, Goochland, Powhatan, Chesterfield, New Kent and Charles City counties along with the city of Richmond. Conservation easements completed under this project will further the restoration, protection, enhancement, management, maintenance and monitoring of water quality on the protected property to address long-term protection of land, terrestrial and aquatic habitats, nutrient and pathogen losses and weather resilience.