Conservation Evaluation and Monitoring Activities (CEMAs) - Colorado
Learn about EQIP Conservation Planning Activities (CPAs), Design and Implementation Activities (DIAs), and Conservation Evaluation and Monitoring Activities (CEMAs).
FY-25 EQIP CEMA Ranking Information
On this page:
- What are CPAs, DIAs, and CEMAs?
- Program Guidance
- Fiscal Year 2024 Conservation Activities
- Previous FY EQIP Conservation Activities Resources
What are CPAs, DIAs, and CEMAs?
CPAs, DIAs, and CEMAs are EQIP financial assistance opportunities for participants to hire Technical Service Providers (TSP) or Qualified Individuals (QI) to provide conservation planning, practices designs or implementation instructions, and monitoring or evaluation of conservation measures applied to the land.
TSP and QI include individuals, private businesses, American Indian tribes, nonprofit organizations, and public agencies. TSPs expand the number and availability of conservation technical experts capable of offering customized, one-on-one conservation advice to agricultural producers.
NRCS established these three categories of activities to align the TSP/QI assistance with phases of the NRCS conservation planning process.
Conservation Planning Activities (CPAs)
CPAs produce conservation plans that document participant objectives, existing resource concerns, and participant decisions regarding conservation practices and activities that will be used to address identified resource concerns. CPAs are:
- Provided by a Technical Service Provider (TSP) with appropriate certification in NRCS Registry.
- Consistent with steps 1-7 of the NRCS conservation planning process.
Design and Implementation Activities (DIAs)
DIAs produce designs, prescriptions, or other instructions for implementing a single conservation practice, or a system of conservation practices derived from the participant’s conservation plan.
- DIAs are provided by Technical Service Providers (TSP) with appropriate certification in NRCS Registry.
- DIAs are consistent with Step 8 of the NRCS conservation planning process.
- DIA scope does not include assistance for conservation practice installation, review, and checkout.
Conservation Evaluation and Monitoring Activities (CEMAs)
CEMAs produce results of an evaluation, monitoring, test, or assessment.
- CEMA are provided by Qualified Individuals (QIs). QIs self-certify they meet qualification criteria stated in a CEMA document. Professional licenses, accreditations, certifications, and experience typify qualification criteria for CEMA QIs. A QI may, or may not also hold TSP certification.
- CEMAs inform the participant and conservation planner about natural resource conditions on the area evaluated.
- CEMA results can support adaptive management strategies, lead to new and revised conservation plans; and support development of new or revised site-specific conservation practice installation instructions.
- CEMAs are consistent with Step 9 of the NRCS conservation planning process, but may be used at any point in the iterative steps of conservation planning.
Program Guidance
NRCS program policy and guidance to support implementation of the CPAs, DIAs, and CEMAs Conservation Activities through the EQIP program is available at NRCS eDirectives – National Instruction 440-320.
Fiscal Year 2024 Conservation Activities
Conservation Planning Activities (CPAs)
FY24 CPA 102 Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan 10 23 (386.25 KB)
FY24 CPA 106 Forest Management Plan 10 22 (368.64 KB)
FY24 CPA 110 Grazing Management Plan 10 22 (309.71 KB)
FY24 CPA 116 Soil Health Management Plan 10 22 (299.05 KB)
FY24 CPA 138 Conservation Plan Supporting Organic Transition 10 22 (374.44 KB)
FY24 CPA 199 Conservation Plan 10 22 (311.36 KB)
Design and Implementation Activities (DIAs)
Agricultural Energy Design - DIA 120 (245.41 KB)
CNMP Design and Implementation Activity - DIA 101 (247.07 KB)
Feed Management Design - DIA 158 (213.84 KB)
Fish and Wildlife Habitat Design - DIA 144 (217.42 KB)
Forest Management Practice Design - DIA 165 (218.56 KB)
Grazing Management Design - DIA 159 (214.02 KB)
Improved Management of Drainage Water Design - DIA 164 (224.26 KB)
Irrigation Water Management Design - DIA 163 (208.5 KB)
Nutrient Management Design and Implementation Activity - DIA 157 (234.14 KB)
Pest Management Conservation System Design - DIA 161 (254.75 KB)
Pollinator Habitat Design - DIA 148 (265 KB)
Prescribed Burning Design - DIA 160 (214.71 KB)
Soil Health Management System Design - DIA 162 (231.7 KB)
Transition to Organic Design - DIA 140 (223.72 KB)
Conservation Evaluation and Monitoring Activities (CEMAs)
Agricultural Energy Assessment - CEMA 228 (309.94 KB)
Aquifer Flow Test - CEMA 224 (260.73 KB)
Carbon Sequestration and Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Assessment - CEMA 218 (225.04 KB)
Edge-of-Field Water Quality Monitoring - System Installation - CEMA 202 (629.73 KB)
Edge-of-Field Water Quality Monitoring - Data Collection and Evaluation - CEMA 201 (513.17 KB)
Evaluation of Existing Waste Storage Facility Components - CEMA 227 (196.94 KB)
Feed and Forage Analysis - CEMA 206 (228.28 KB)
Feral Swine Damage Assessment - CEMA 297 (186.34 KB)
Forest Management Assessment - CEMA 223 (196.64 KB)
Indigenous Stewardship Methods Evaluation - CEMA 222 (200.96 KB)
PFAS Testing in Water or Soil - CEMA 209 (228.79 KB)
Prescribed Grazing Conservation Evaluation and Monitoring - CEMA 219 (201.46 KB)
Site Assessment and Soil Testing for Contaminants Activity - CEMA 207 (194.15 KB)
Site Suitability and Feasibility for Waste Storage Facility - CEMA 226 (195.87 KB)
Soil and Source Testing for Nutrient Management - CEMA 217 (205.31 KB)
Soil Health Testing - CEMA 216 (294.83 KB)
Soil Organic Carbon Stock Monitoring-CEMA 221 (782.32 KB)
Previous FY EQIP Conservation Activities Resources
Learn More
PROGRAM
Environmental Quality Incentives Program
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is NRCS’ flagship conservation program that helps farmers, ranchers and forest landowners integrate conservation into working lands.
Technical Service Providers
Technical service providers (TSPs) work on behalf of the customer to offer planning, design, and implementation services that meets NRCS criteria. This assistance helps improve the producer's operation and addresses resource concerns on their land.
Conservation Technical Assistance
Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA) provides our nation’s farmers, ranchers and forestland owners with the knowledge and tools they need to conserve, maintain and restore the natural resources on their lands and improve the health of their operations for the future.
Conservation Planning
A conservation plan identifies the customer’s conservation objectives and assesses and analyzes the natural resources issues on that customer’s land related to soil, water, animals, plants, air, energy, and human interaction.
Getting Assistance
NRCS offers voluntary programs to eligible landowners and agricultural producers to provide financial and technical assistance to help manage natural resources in a sustainable manner.