Easements

NRCS offers easement programs to landowners who want to maintain or enhance their land in a way beneficial to agriculture and/or the environment. All NRCS easement programs are voluntary. We provide technical help and financial assistance, but local landowners and organizations are needed to make NRCS easement programs successful.

• Are Wetland Easements Right for You?

Our easement programs include the following:

• Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) - provides financial and technical assistance to help conserve agricultural lands and wetlands and their related benefits.
• Emergency Watershed Protection Program - Floodplain Easements

Iowa Easement Owner Newsletter

• April 2020 (PDF)
• June 2019 (PDF)
• November 2018 (PDF)
• May 2018 (PDF)
• January 2018 (PDF)
• May 2017 (PDF)
• October 2016 (PDF)

Easement Web Resources

• Iowa NRCS Area Easement Specialists Map (PDF)
• Interactive NRCS National Easement Map
• Geospatial Data Gateway - Environmental and Natural Resources Data, including Easements

Easement Success Stories

• Craig and Meghan Black - Clinton County EWRP (PDF)
• Mike and Linda Gabor - Kossuth County ACEP-WRE (PDF)
• Jewell Family - Winneshiek County ACEP-ALE (PDF)
• Stuart and Marian Maas - Fremont County WRP & EWRP (PDF)
• Jack and Diane Munch - Kossuth County WRP (PDF)
• Charles Poeltler - Muscatine County WRP (PDF)
• Craig and Jackie Wallace - Sac County WRP (PDF)
• Northern Iowa Wetland Complex - October 2015 (PDF)

Video - Big Wall Lake Wetland Complex (Wright County)