NRCS Conservation Stewardship Program Enhancement Summary

Maine

NRCS's natural resources conservation programs help people reduce soil erosion, enhance water supplies, improve water quality, increase wildlife habitat, and reduce damages caused by floods and other natural disasters. Public benefits include enhanced natural resources that help sustain agricultural productivity and environmental quality while supporting continued economic development, recreation, and scenic beauty.

To learn more see CSP and CSP Enhancements and Bundles

Conservation Stewardship Program Enhancement Summary:
by Conservation Practices related to: Cropland Soil Quality | Cropland Soil Health & Sustainability | Fish & Wildlife Habitat | Forest Land Conservation | Grazing Land Conservation | Water Quality

Conservation Practices Related to Cropland Soil Quality

The following table includes practices that are related to Cropland Soil Quality Management. The six components of soil quality management are: enhancing organic matter, avoiding excessive tillage, managing pests and nutrients efficiently, preventing soil compaction, keeping the ground covered, and diversifying cropping systems. Choosing specific practices within each component depends on the situation since different types of soil respond differently to the same practice. Each combination of soil type and land use calls for a different set of practices to enhance soil quality. Note that only practices applied on cropland or hay land are included.

Conservation Practices Related to Cropland Soil Health & Sustainability

The following table includes practices that are related to Cropland Soil Health & Sustainability. This measure is intended as a step-wise measure to show progress towards implementing a Soil Health Management System (SHMS). A SHMS is defined as a collection of NRCS conservation practices that focuses on maintaining or enhancing soil health by addressing four soil health management principles: minimize disturbance, maximize soil cover, maximize biodiversity and maximize presence of living roots. Note that only practices applied on cropland are included. Also at least two eligible conservation practices or a Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) bundle must be applied during the fiscal year. Eligible conservation practices are those that indicate progress toward a SHMS and include: Conservation Crop Rotation, Residue and Tillage Management (No Till and Reduced Till), Cover Crop, and corresponding CSP activities and bundles. Some CSP bundles count as two eligible practices.

Conservation Practices Related to Fish & Wildlife Habitat

The following table includes practices that are related to Fish & Wildlife Habitat Management. The environment that NRCS helps its clients conserve, maintain, and improve is also habitat for fish & wildlife and other biological resources. While every practice and management action taken on the land has some effect on biological resources, the following practices are specifically related to fish & wildlife habitat.

Conservation Practices Related to Forest Land Conservation

The following table includes practices that are related to Forest Land Conservation. The goals of these practices are to restore and protect forest resources and improve fish and wildlife habitat and are related to: tree planting; forest stand improvement, thinning; prescribed burning; and controlling invasive plants. Note that only practices applied on grazed forest or forest land are included.

Conservation Practices Related to Grazing Land Conservation

The following table includes practices that are related to Grazing Land Conservation. NRCS is committed to conserving and enhancing private grazing land resources. This includes conservation practices which: conserve and improve wildlife habitat on private grazing land; conserve and improve fish habitat and aquatic systems through grazing land conservation treatment; protect and improve water quality; improve the dependability and consistency of water supplies; and identify and manage weed, noxious weed, and brush encroachment problems. Note that only practices applied on grazed range, grazed forest, native and naturalized pasture, or pasture land are included.

Conservation Practices Related to Water Quality

The following table includes practices that are related to Water Quality. Water quality is an indicator of the health of our environment and reflects what occurs on the land. The primary water quality issues from agriculture are sediment, nutrients, pesticides, pathogens, and in some parts of the country, salinity. Using conservation practices to improve land in an environmentally sound manner will result in better water quality for drinking, recreation, wildlife, fisheries and industry.

More Information

The data in this report in CSV format (file includes all titles and table notes) can be downloaded here.

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For more information about NRCS Conservation Programs, visit http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/

Citation for this website:
U.S. Department of Agriculture.
National Planning and Agreements Database October (NPAD) October 2022
Natural Resources Conservation Service, Washington, DC. 31 March 2023^*
<http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/data-and-reports/rca-data-viewer/>
^*[use date the website was accessed]