The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) works with private landowners, partners and governments to solve concerns and challenges with our natural resources. In West Virginia, we are launching the Focused Conservation Approach in Fiscal Year 2017 to solve high priority resource challenges in a strategic, effective, and efficient business manner.
The foundation to West Virginia’s Focused Conservation Approach is the Long Range Plan, which is developed cooperatively by the Local Work Group (LWG) through a locally led process. The LWG, comprised of local agriculture producers and interests groups, Conservation District supervisors, USDA and state agency representatives, is convened typically by the soil and water conservation district and the NRCS, District Conservationist.
Project plans evolving from the Long Range Plan will provide for improvements related to water quality, soil health, plant productivity, cropland, wildlife, forest health and more. The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and leveraged resources from partners will be used to implement each plan’s conservation objectives.
For more information about the Focused Conservation Approach, contact your local USDA Service Center or call the NRCS West Virginia State Office at (304) 284-7540.
