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? Wetlands Restoration <br />• Significant progress has been made toward the President's <br />Wetlands Initiative. Since 2004, over 1.7 million acres of _- <br />wetlands have been restored, created, protected or improved. <br />By the end of Fiscal Year 2006, USDA will have contributed ???-• ''"" "`'"? <br />? a '? :? - ~?,:• ?: <br />nearly 400,000 acres of restored, created, protected or <br />improved wetlands. USDA funding contributing to this <br />accomplishment totals nearly $270 million dollars. <br />• Through voluntary conseNation programs such as the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP), Wetlands Reserve <br />Enhancement Program, Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program, Conservation ReseNe Program and Conservation <br />Reserve Enhancement Program, USDA has made significant contributions to the habitats of 1he Ivory BiIled <br />Woodpecker, the Black Bear Corridor, Sage Grouse, and Wild Turkey <br />• USDA is a major contributor to cooperative conservation on over 1.2 billion acres of privately owned lands <br />• The President's proposed budget for 2007 would increase funding for WRP by 60 percent. That's enough co <br />purchase easements for 250,000 acres-the maximum annual acreage auihorized under fhe 2002 farm bill <br />Additional information on USDA conservation programs can be found al hltp //www nres usda gov/prografiis and <br />http:/Iwww.fsa.usda.gov/dafplcepoldefault.htm. <br />.- Healthy Forests Initlative <br />On December 3, 2003, President Bush signed into law the Healthy Forests Restoration Act to reduce the threat of <br />destructive wildfires while upholding environmental stantlards and encouraging early public inpul during review and <br />planning processes. The Healthy Forests Restoration Acl <br />• Strengthens public participation in developing high priorify foresl heallh projects: <br />• Reduces the complexity of environmental analysis allowing federal land agencies to use the besl science <br />available to actively manage land under their protection; <br />• Provides a more effective appeals process encouraging early public participation m projeci planning: and <br />. Issues clear guidance for court action against forest health projecls <br />The Presidenl's FY 2007 budget is faithful to commitments made to sustain strong wildfire fighling capabilify, reduce <br />the risk of fire and assist communities. The budget calls for $2.5 billion in HFI funding, inclutling $492 million for <br />hazardous fuels reduction. <br />From 2001-2005, federal land management agencies treated a total of 15 million acres for hazardous fuels. By lhe <br />end of FY 2006, that total will approach 20 million acres. The wildland-urban interface (WUI) and public and private <br />lands of concern to communities at risk are a top priority for treatment. Approximately 60 percent of forest restoration <br />dollars has been invested in this area. From 2001-2005, Federal agencies increased fuels and other ireatmenls on <br />land in the WUI from 775,000 acres to 2.4 million acres--more than doubling WUI acres treated <br />Additional informaiion on the Healthy Forest Initiative is available at http?//www.healthyforests gov