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" Natural Resources Programs Fact Sheet--1996 F... Page2of2 systems, pest management, erosion control, and other practices to improve and maintain the health of natural resources. t:.:> ~. en ",:,;. Farmland Protection Program The Farmland Protection Program provides funds to help purchase development rights to keep productive fannland in use. Working through existing programs, USDA joins with State, tribal, or local governments to acquire conservation easements or other interests from landowners. USDA provides up to 50 percent of the costs of purchasing the easements. To qualify, farmland must: be part ofa pending offer from a State, tribe, or local fannland protection program; be privately owned; have a conservation plan; be large enough to sustain agricultural production; be acceSSible to markets for what the land produces; have adequate infrastructure and agricultural support services; and have surrounding parcels of land that can support long-tenn agricultural production. Forestry Incenth'es Program The Forestry Incentives Program (FIP) supports good forest management practices on privately owned, nonindustrial forest lands nationwide. FIP is designed 10 benefit the environment while meeting future demands for wood products. Eligible practices are tree planting, timber stand Improvement, site preparation for natural regeneration, and other related activities. FIP is available in countIes designated by a Forest Service survey of eligible private timber acreage. Small Watersbed Program The Small Watershed Program works through local government sponsors and helps participants solve natural resource and related economic problems on a watershed basis. Projects include watershed protection, flood prevention, erosion and sediment control, water supply, water quality, fish and wildlife habitat enhancement, wetlands creation and restoration, and public recreation in watersheds of 250,000 or fewer acres. Both technical and financial assistance are available. Stewardship Incenth'e Program The Stewardship Incentive Program provides technical and financial assistance to encourage nonindustrial private forest landowners to keep their lands and natural resources productive and healthy. Qualifying land includes rural lands with existing tree cover or land suitable for growing trees and which is owned by aprivate individual, group, association, corporation, Indian tribe, or other legal private entity. Eligible landowners must have an approved Forest Stewardship Plan and own 1,000 or fewer acres of qualifying land. Authorizations may be obtained for exceptions of up to 5,000 acres. Wetlands Resen'e Program The Wetlands Reserve Program is a voluntary program to restore wetlands. Participating landowners can establish conservation easements of either pennanent or 30-year duration or can enter into restoration cost-share agreements where no easement is involved. In exchange for establishing a permanent easement, the landowner receives payment up to the agricultural value of the land and 100 percent ofrhe restoratIon costs for restoring the wetland. The 30-year easement payment is 75 percent of what would be provided for a permanent easement on the same site and 75 percent of the restoration cost. The voluntary agreements are for a minimum 10-year duration and provide for 75 percent of the cost of restoring the involved wetlands. Easements set limits on how the lands may be used in the future. Restoration cost-share agreements establish wetland protection and restoration as the primary land use for the duration of the agreement. In all instances, landowners continue to control access to their land. Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program provides financial incentives to develop habitat for fish and wildlife on private lands. Participants agree to implement a wildlife habitat development plan and USDA agrees to provide cost-share assistance for the initial implementation of wildlife habitat development practices. USDA and program participants enter into a cost-share agreement for wildlife habitat development. This agreement generally lasts a mmimum of 5 years from the date that the contract is Signed. For more information Contact your local USDA Service Center. It is listed in the telephone book under us. Department of Agriculture. Information is also available here on NRCS's World Wide Web site; or FSA's World Wide Web site. I NRCS homtnue IUSDA homrDlI!.t I NACD homtDU!"t I Friday. January 10, 1997 3:39 PM