On April 17, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service-PA announced the award of more than $13 million in Regional Conservation Partnership Grants for three projects in Pennsylvania.
“I’m excited to announce the first RCPP awards under the 2018 Farm Bill,” said Denise Coleman, State Conservationist in Pennsylvania. “Through collaboration and aligning our resources toward a common goal, we’re making an impact for natural resource conservation that could never have been realized on our own.”
The Pennsylvania projects include--
-- Berks County Conservation District - Ag BMP Implementation in the Chesapeake Bay, Funding Amount: $ 2,232,143, Partner Contributions: $ 2,294,875.
The Berks County Conservation District will implement Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans (CNMP) and establish near stream conservation practices such as riparian buffers, filter strips, and animal exclusion fencing on operations in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
The partners intend to model the project’s water quality improvements and report on nutrient and sediment load reductions generated by conservation implementation by producers.
-- PA Dept. of Agriculture - Kittatinny Ridge Conservation Landscape, Funding Amount: $ 9,928,571, Partner Contributions: $ 38,982,500
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture will target the long-term protection of farmland and deciduous forests in the Kittatinny Ridge corridor of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
Farm and forest land preservation investments in this region ensure food security for a growing population, support Pennsylvania’s robust agricultural economy, and protect wildlife habitat in a region home to threatened and endangered species.
-- Audubon Society of Western PA - Buffalo Creek Watershed Conservation Alliance, Funding Amount: $ 1,169,618, Partner Contributions: $ 1,163,815
The Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania, supported by several local partners, plans to carry out conservation planning, implement conservation practices, and purchase conservation easements to support the long-term goal of delisting Buffalo Creek, currently designated as an impaired water body.
The watershed is designated as an Important Bird Area and is home to several threatened wildlife species including Eastern hellbender and Indiana bat.
RCPP uses a partner-driven approach to fund innovative solutions to natural resource challenges. Through RCPP, NRCS and partners work together with private landowners and producers to implement a variety of conservation activities, including land management practices and systems, short-term land rentals, conservation easements, and watershed structures.
The mix of conservation activities carried out under each project is dependent on a project’s goals, objectives, and conservation benefits.
For more information on programs, initiatives and technical and financial assistance for farmers and landowners, visit the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services-PA webpage.
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[Posted: April 17, 2020] PA Environment Digest
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