Federal Assistance - 2002 Farm Bill:Cost-Share Assistance:
Federal Assistance - 2002 Farm Bill:
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP): Participants receive annual rental payments and cost-share assistance to establish the approved cover. Contracts run either 10 or 15 years. Eligible acreage can only be enrolled during a designated general sign-up period.
Continuous CRP: A continuous sign-up exists for the following high priority practices with annual rental payment and 20 percent rental rate incentives. Practices include filter strips, grassed waterways, riparian buffers, shelterbelts, field windbreaks, and wetland restoration. These also receive a 50 percent cost-share for construction and seeding. In addition, the above practices will receive a 40 percent Practice Incentive Payment.
Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP): Landowners sell a conservation easement or enter into a cost-share restoration agreement to restore and protect wetlands on private property. This provides significant wetland and wildlife habitat benefits. Landowners in the Fish Creek Watershed may be eligible for increased benefits to promote habitat for selected wildlife. One-time applications are accepted on a continuous basis.
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP): Applications are accepted annually to provide technical, educational and financial assistance for agricultural improvements to help meet water quality goals. Cost-share practices include grassed waterways, rock chutes, pipe structures, water and sediment control basins, filter strips, critical area plantings, conservation tillage, tree plantings integrated crop management and animal waste facilities.
Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP): Applications are accepted annually to help landowners improve wildlife on private lands. Landowners enter into a cost-share agreement to implement a wetland habitat development plan on their land. This agreement generally lasts a minimum of 10 years.
Grassland Reserve Program (GRP): Applications are accepted annually to help landowners and operators restore and protect grassland, including rangeland and pastureland, while maintaining the area as grazing lands. Landowners can either sell a conservation easement or enter into a rental or restoration agreement.
Conservation Security Program (CSP): This is a voluntary conservation program that was created to reward producers for maintaining established conservation practices on areas that meet the highest standards of environmental management. Nationally selected watersheds are announced in October. Producers in these watersheds then have a designated sign-up period to complete a self-assessment workbook and meet with NRCS to review program criteria.
Contact NRCS District Conservationist, Richard Neff in our office (260-665-3211, ext. 3) for more information on these programs.
State
Assistance
-
Lake and River Enhancement Program (LARE)
The
Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Division of Fish and Wildlife
offers the Lake and River Enhancement Program in the Pigeon Creek (New this
Year!!), Turkey Creek and
Ball Lake Watersheds. (Ball Lake is a sub-watershed located in the
southwestern section of the Fish Creek Watershed.) The LARE grant provides cost-share
assistance for conservation tillage, cover crops, critical area plantings,
diversions, fencing, filter strips, grade stabilization structures, grassed
waterways, livestock watering facilities, pest and nutrient management, pasture
and hayland plantings, sediment control basins, streambank protection, terraces,
tree plantings, and waste management systems.
For more information on this program, call
Kayleen Hart, SWCD Resource Conservationist at 260-665-3211, ext. 3.
Pigeon Creek Watershed Management Plan Implementation: Through an Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) 319 Grant, cost-share is available for filter strips, waterways, water and sediment control basins or drop inlet structures and other Best Management Practices addressed in the Pigeon Creek Watershed Management Plan. Through this implementation grant, the county was able to hire a Resource Coordinator to work with landowners in the watershed.
If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please call Corey Kain, Resource Coordinator, in the Surveyor's office at 260-668-1000, ext. 1800.
Other Programs:
The Nature Conservancy - Fish Creek Watershed
In order to prevent sedimentation and maintain water quality in Fish Creek, a known habitat for several endangered mussel species, The Nature Conservancy is working in Steuben County as part of its larger conservation effort in the Upper St. Joseph River Watershed that includes parts of Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. They have worked in the Fish Creek Watershed for the last 13 years. Current projects include Reforestation and, as mentioned under the federal assistance category, extra incentive to landowners in Fish Creek to participate in the Wetlands Reserve Program.
Contact the Nature Conservancy at 260-665-9141 for more information.
Wood-Land-Lakes (WLL) Resource Conservation and Development:
Conservation Easements (County-wide): WLL is a group of volunteers working together for responsible stewardship of our natural resources. They use conservation easements to protect land from subdivision and development. Easements are voluntary, legal agreements between a landowner and a qualified conservation organization that allows property owners to permanently limit or prohibit development on their property.
For more information, contact Kathy Latz at WLL (260-665-3211, ext. 5) or visit their web site at www.Wood-Land-Lakes.org.
Pheasant Habitat Development Program:
Entire County South of US 20 and East of State Road 827: Through this program, Pheasants Forever and the IDNR Division of Fish and Wildlife hope to increase the Indiana pheasant population. Cost-share is provided for the establishment of warm and cool season grasses (excluding tall fescue), fescue eradication, grain food plots, shrub plantings, lightly disking strips through mature stands of grass, legume inter-seeding, chemical application, and controlled burning. Sign-up incentives are also available for practices installed in conjunction with new or existing CRP.
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