Contact:
Lisa McCauley
406-587-6970
BOZEMAN, Mont., April 5, 2016 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is now accepting partner proposals for the Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership (WREP). This partnership is one way state and local governments, non-governmental organizations and Tribal governments collaborate with NRCS to increase the number of voluntary conservation projects for targeted, high priority wetland protection, restoration and enhancement. Today, the USDA announced the availability of $15 million for this partnership.
“NRCS is committed to protecting and enhancing our nation’s wetlands, which are critical to the quality of our nation’s waters, wildlife and landscapes,” said Lisa Coverdale, NRCS state conservationist for Montana. “We are looking to our partners for innovative project proposals that will leverage our Farm Bill conservation funding. This will allow us to expand our work on critical wetlands and gain results that will make project participants proud.”
WREP is a special enrollment option under USDA’s Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). Local and regional WREP partners match federal funding and technical assistance to increase the assistance they can provide to eligible private landowners interested in enrolling their agricultural land into conservation wetland easements. Wetland reserve easements allow landowners to enhance and protect habitat for wildlife on their lands, reduce impacts from flooding, recharge groundwater and provide outdoor recreational and educational opportunities.
WREP proposals must be submitted to the NRCS state office in Bozeman, Montana, by May 16, 2016.
More information is available on the NRCS Agricultural Conservation Easement Program webpage.
-end-
