The unique partnership of federal government and private wildlife conservationists is teaming up to restore wetlands and enhance wildlife habitat by providing technical and financial assistance to Minnesota landowners enrolling in the programs current sign-up period (Sign-up18) which ends December 11, 1998.
The message is that if you (landowners) sign up for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and select conservation practice 23, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Minnesota Waterfowl Association and USDA will help restore wetlands on your property at little or no cost to you, said Lance Kuester, state coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program. We want Minnesota landowners to be aware of all the benefits that come with enrolling their land in the current CRP and this unique partnership that is working to restore wetlands and wildlife habitat.
The CRP is a voluntary program under which landowners offer to place eligible cropland into the program for 10-15 years in return for annual rental payments and cost-share assistance for establishing conservation practices. Enrollment is not automatic and is highly competitive. Landowners are screened by the USDA for eligibility and then compete for enrollment based on an Environmental Benefits Index (EBI), a scoring process that ensures fairness and equality for all land types considered for enrollment. Conservation practice 23 has two components: wetland restoration and establishment of associated upland grass cover. By choosing conservation practice 23, landowners can enhance their EBI scores.
Once accepted into the CRP, the Minnesota Waterfowl Association will help fund all, or a significant portion of wetland restoration costs after application of CRP cost-share and incentive payments. In addition, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will help landowners determine the feasibility of wetland and habitat restorations and with construction design, oversight, and supervision, Kuester said.
This partnership is focused on helping Minnesota landowners restore small wetlands and associated grasslands to address the shortage of these critical habitats in Minnesota, explained Jim Boyer, president of the Minnesota Waterfowl Association. This will be a boost for Minnesotas waterfowl and wildlife, and serves to underscore Minnesota Waterfowl Associations commitment to maintaining a strong base of CRP acres in our state.
To receive the additional Minnesota Waterfowl Association funding, landowners must agree to enroll land in the CRP for 15 years, the maximum term under the program. Offers to enroll in the CRP are made at local offices of the USDAs Farm Service Agency. Farm Service Agency officials will refer eligible applicants to the respective representatives of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Minnesota Waterfowl Association for further assistance.
As of October 1, 1998, approximately 30.5 million acres of U.S. cropland have been enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program. Just over 3.6 million acres are under contracts that expire September 30, 1999. The USDA is authorized to maintain enrollment of up to 36.4 million acres. Its a competitive program because fewer acres will be enrolled this year, Kuester said. About four to five million acres nationwide are expected to be enrolled this year during Sign-up 18. Eligible Minnesota landowners should be sure to ask the USDA about opportunities to help them maximize their EBI points, and about the wetland restoration funding through MWA.
The CRP is administered by the USDAs Farm Service Agency in cooperation with the Natural Resources Conservation Service and state conservation and education agencies. For more information about the CRP, contact your local Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service offices. They are listed in telephone books under United States Government, U.S. Department of Agriculture or try the CRP web page at: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/dafp/cepd/crpinfo.html
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 93-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses more than 530 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 66 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies. For further information about the programs and activities of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region, please visit our home page at: http://midwest.fws.gov
