The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) helps landowners, land trusts, and other entities protect, restore, and enhance wetlands, grasslands, and working farms and ranches trough conservation easements. Under the Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) component, NRCS helps American Indian tribes, state and local governments and non-governmental organizations protect working agricultural lands and limit non-agricultural uses of the land. Under the Wetlands Reserve Easements (WRE) component, NRCS helps to restore, protect and enhance enrolled wetlands. The Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership is an enrollment option under ACEP-WRE. Read the following for information specific to each component:
How to Apply
Landowners and entities interested in using conservation easements to address natural resource concerns can submit applications at any time. Though signup is continuous, funding selections are made at specific times during the fiscal year. The current application cut off is April 17, 2020.
If you are interested in an Agricultural Land Easement contact one of the entities eligible to hold ALE easements in Montana. Eligible entities may submit proposals to the NRCS state office to acquire conservation easements on eligible land.
If you are interested in a Wetland Reserve Easement contact your local Service Center.
Prior-Year Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) Montana Archives
More Information
For more information and updates about ACEP, please refer to the national NRCS ACEP Web site. Further information on ACEP in Montana is also available from your local Service Center or one of the following NRCS employees:
Contacts
Allen Persinger, Program Manager for Easements
Phone:
Jeff Combs, Program Specialist (ACEP-ALE, FRPP, GRP)
Phone: 406-587-6747
Email: Jeffrey.Combs
Maureen Meagher, Program Specialist (ACEP-WRE)
Phone: 406-587-6748
Email: Maureen.Meagher
