Auburn, Ala – Dr. William Puckett, Alabama State Conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), has announced Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI) projects with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Alabama Forestry Commission, and the Limited Resource Landowner Education and Assistance Network.
Administered by NRCS, CCPI, a voluntary initiative, allows landowners and operators of agricultural and non-industrial private forest lands to use selected conservation programs and resources from eligible partners to put conservation on the land. Under this program, NRCS enters into agreements with eligible partners that want to enhance conservation on agricultural and non-industrial private forest lands. Partners include federally recognized Indian tribes, state and local units of governments, producer associations, farmer cooperatives, colleges and universities and non-governmental organizations with a history of working closely with producers. A producer’s land must be located within an approved CCPI project area to be considered for financial assistance through CCPI. In fiscal year 2009, producers can apply for financial assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program.
“This new initiative allows eligible entities to develop conservation projects that address specific environmental concerns within a geographic region” said Dr. Puckett, Alabama State Conservationist. “CCPI allows a cooperative group to define the region for a project, as well as the criteria to evaluate producers for project funding.”
CCPI Partnership Initiative with Alabama Forestry Commission Targeting Underserved Forest Landowners in the Black Belt region of Alabama. Funds for this initiative will be administered through the NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and will target underserved landowners in Bibb, Dallas, Hale, Macon, Marengo, Perry, Pickens, Sumter, and Wilcox Counties. This program is designed to promote and inform private forest landowners about forest stand improvement practices that can improve growth, reduce risk of wildfire and insect damage, and improve forest health. Lands eligible for this initiative are forestlands that are overstocked, under stocked, and subject to fire hazard, disease, or insect infestation and that are not enrolled in any other EQIP or Farm Bill programs.