Technical and Financial Resources Available for Voluntary Wetlands Protection
Financial and Technical Resources
Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) helps participants building upon existing conservation efforts to strengthen operations. NRCS will evaluate current management systems and natural resources to develop CSP enhancement alternatives for potential implementation. Participants select enhancements that best meet operational needs and are provided annual incentive payments (minimum of $1,500) for implementing practices and engaging in regular reporting and tracking over a 5-year period. CSP also provides supplemental payments for adopting a resource-conserving crop rotation.
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers to plan and implement conservation practices that improve soil, water, plant, animal, air, and related natural resources on agricultural land and non-industrial private forestland. Financial assistance payments through EQIP are made to eligible producers for the completed implementation of approved conservation practices on eligible land or to help producers develop Conservation Activity Plans (CAP) to address specific land use issues. EQIP provides payment rates associated with each practice.
Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations Program works through local government sponsors to help participants voluntarily plan and install watershed-based projects on private lands. 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.
Technical Resources
Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA) Program can assist land users with aquatic resource assessment, practice design, aquatic resource monitoring, or follow-up of installed practices. Program does not include financial or cost-share assistance related to use of aquatic natural resources and aquatic natural resource management decisions. CTA Program functions through a national network of locally-based professional conservationists.
Grazing Land Conservation Initiative (GLCI) initiative ensures that technical, educational, and related assistance is provided to those who own private grazing lands. Focus areas include: better grazing land management; protecting soil from erosive wind and water; using more energy-efficient ways to produce food and fiber; conserving water; providing habitat for wildlife; sustaining forage and grazing plants; using plants to sequester greenhouse gases and increase soil organic matter; and using grazing lands as a source of biomass energy and raw materials for industrial products. Technical assistance program; no financial assistance available.
Farm Wildlife Habitat Program provides free technical assistance to landowners and managers desiring to improve their farmland, woodland, or recreational properties while improving the value to wildlife.
Tennessee Partners Project is a private lands program designed to establish or improve waterfowl and wetland habitat through a partnership between NRCS, TWRA, Ducks Unlimited, USFWS, TDA, and UTAES. Under the program, landowners are provided water control structures and technical assistance for the design and installation of waterfowl impoundments.
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation – Division of Water Resources
- Universities - Biology Departments (technical), Environmental Studies Departments (technical)
Financial Resources
National Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) are competitive grants available on an annual basis that stimulate development and adoption of innovative approaches and technologies to address a natural resource concern or concerns on agricultural lands. Available to non-Federal governmental or nongovernmental organizations, American Indian Tribes, or individuals. Focus areas may change annually. One focus area for the FY2016 CIG funding cycle was improving water quality.
State CIG may be available for projects that benefit limited geographic areas. Projects may be farm-based, multi-county, small watershed, or Statewide in scope. Public notices are used to announce availability of funds.
Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWPP) provides for the purchase of floodplain easements as an emergency measure. Landowners voluntarily offer to sell to NRCS a permanent conservation easement that provides the NRCS with the ability to restore and enhance the floodplain’s functions and values. In exchange a landowner receives the lowest of the 3 following values: market analysis, geographic rate, or landowner offer.
- Wetland Program Development Grants (WPDGs) are available to conduct projects that promote the coordination and acceleration of research, investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations, surveys and studies relating to the causes, effects, extent, prevention, reduction and elimination of water pollution. States, tribes, local governments, interstate associations, and intertribal consortia are eligible to apply for Regional WPDG RFPs. Nonprofits, interstate associations and intertribal consortia are eligible to apply for the National WPDG RFPs.
- Agricultural Resources Conservation Fund (ARCF) provides cost-share assistance to Tennessee landowners to install BMPs that reduce agricultural water pollution.
- 319 Grants to prevent and control nonpoint source pollution.
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
- State Revolving Fund
- Natural Resource Damage Assessments
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
- Land Acquisition Program
Conservation Reserve Program pays a yearly rental payment in exchange for farmers removing environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and planting species that will improve environmental quality.
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program targets high-priority conservation issues identified by government and non-governmental organizations. Farm land under these conservation issues is removed from production in exchange for annual rental payments.
Emergency Conservation Program helps farmers and ranchers repair damage to farmlands caused by natural disasters and to help put in place methods for water conservation during severe drought through provision of funding.
Farmable Wetlands Program designed to restore previously farmed wetlands and wetland buffer to improve vegetation and water flow. Participants must agree to restore the wetlands, establish plant cover, and not use enrolled land for commercial purposes.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- North American Wetlands Conservation Act Grant Program provides funding for wetland and wetland-associated acquisition, creation, enhancement, and/or restoration.
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
- Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Grant Program projects seek to address water quality issues in priority watersheds, such as erosion due to unstable streambanks, pollution from stormwater runoff, and degraded shorelines caused by development.
Leveraging Partnerships
- Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership
- Tennessee Corporations
(e.g., Nissan, Bridgestone, Alcoa, Eastman, Home Depot) - Universities
Resources for Creating and Maintaining Partnerships
This Page Last Updated: March 27, 2024 at 9:47 PM