Conservation Corner: February 5, 2001

Conservation Help Available
by James L. Cummins

The 1996 Farm Bill, which was passed by Congress and signed by the President, has some very beneficial provisions for fish and wildlife conservation. It was passed by the Agriculture Committee; current members of the Agriculture Committee from Mississippi are Senator Thad Cochran and Congressmen Chip Pickering and Bennie Thompson.

Cost-share programs in the sign-up include the FIP (Forestry Incentives Program) and the WRP (Wetland Reserve Program). In addition to these Natural Resource Conservation Programs (NRCS), the Farm Service Agency (FSA) has a continuous sign-up for the CRP (Conservation Reserve Program) for high priority practices.

Landowners seeking assistance to establish trees may apply at the NRCS office for the FIP. The cutoff date for FY 2001 funded applications is March 2, 2001. Applications for open field, tree planting receive highest priority under FIP. Cost-share is approximately 50 percent of tree establishment. Applications for enrolling land in WRP are being taken in the NRCS office until August 1, 2001, for FY 2002 funding. WRP offers three options for wetlands enrollment: 1) permanent easements, 2) 30-year easements and 3) 10-year contracts.

Landowners interested in enrolling eligible land into the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Continuous Sign-Up should apply at the FSA office. Eligible cropland may be enrolled in grass or riparian forest buffers (along streams), or shallow water areas for wildlife. Eligible marginal pastureland may be enrolled in the riparian forest buffer practice only. Buffer practices carry an attractive financial, incentive package that pays a bonus of up to $150.00 per acre. Participants in these programs must own or control land and agree to prepare and implement a management plan which contains certain conservation practices to be installed on the land. The plan describes the landowner's goals for conservation.

The participant and the U.S. Department of Agriculture must enter into an agreement to implement the plan; the agreement lasts 5-15 years and the easement for WRP lasts either 30 years or is perpetual. NRCS agrees to provide the necessary technical assistance and pay 75 percent of the cost of installing the wildlife habitat practices. Approval may be granted for cost-share assistance for not more than $10,000. Applications are ranked and point values are assigned. Applications with the most points will be funded. Practices in these programs will help provide cover for wildlife, including the planting of trees, as well as nesting and brood rearing habitat for species like turkey and quail. Aquatic habitats and water quality can be improved by establishing habitat adjacent to streams. Wildlife habitat can also be improved through these programs by creating small openings in forest stands. A later date will be announced for ranking applications. Landowners should contact their local office of the Natural Resources Conservation Service or Farm Service Agency in their local U.S. Department of Agriculture Service Center for further information.

James L. Cummins is Executive Director of the Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation in Stoneville, Mississippi. Known as "Wildlife Mississippi," the Foundation is a non-profit, conservation organization founded to conserve, restore and enhance fish, wildlife and plant resources throughout Mississippi.