Florida landowners interested in aligning their land uses with conservation values and practices have an opportunity to apply for U.S. Held or Entity Held Conservation Easements and/or Land Management opportunities.
This is all in partnership with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Florida (NRCS-FL) and the North Florida Land Trust (NFLT). Landowners that applied for the recent Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Rural and Family Lands Protection Program (RFLPP) cycle are encouraged to apply for potential match opportunities. Those who are within and/or touching the boundary are eligible.
Applications for the fiscal year 2024 through the NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) will be accepted and evaluated by NRCS and NFLT through February 20, 2024. FDACS will be involved in potential match negotiations. While these conservation easement and land management applications are accepted year-round, applications received after that date, will be considered for the following sign-up period, as funding allows.
NFLT is leading this RCPP project to protect the Ocala to Osceola Wildlife Corridor (O2O), in partnership with approximately 26 federal, state, and private organizations. The O2O is a 100-mile long, 1.6-million-acre, landscape of public and private lands that connect the Ocala National Forest to the Osceola National Forest. The O2O includes priority lands for the Florida Ecological Greenways Network (FEGN) and is a critical linkage in the Florida Wildlife Corridor. By protecting the natural beauty and sustainability of the landscape and connector lands, the O2O will continue to provide habitat for the Florida black bear and imperiled species like the red-cockaded woodpecker, indigo snake, and gopher tortoise. In addition, there are opportunities for protecting iconic Florida ecosystems, including legacy longleaf pine forests, sandhill, and scrub in the O2O.
The state’s RFLPP enthusiastically partners with NFLT and others when federal funds, such as RCPP are involved. Those funding partnerships help move projects into a priority work plan for the FDACS, which means the conservation easements can be acquired more quickly.
As part of this initiative, NRCS and its partners have funding through the RCPP to pay landowners for conservation easements and practices placed upon their land. NRCS and NFLT will be responsible for screening for land eligibility, coordinating appropriately to determine the proper entity holder, coordinating with landowners to develop conservation project applications, negotiating conservation easement terms, and/or developing a land management plan. Due to the complex nature of these projects, landowners interested in these funding opportunities are stronglyencouraged to reach out for guidance in the options available prior to applying. Applicants will need to take appropriate steps necessary to establish farm records and certifications.
Conservation easements and practices funded through the RCPP program may maintain agricultural uses, promote longleaf pine range, native forest and grassland restoration, weather resiliency, carbon sequestration practices, and wildfire adaptability. This program will also contribute to protecting habitats and migration routes of native, threatened, endangered, and imperiled species. To protect water quality and quantity, this program will protect watershed and springshed (i.e., surface and ground waters). Land eligible for conservation easements and/or land management practices within the O2O will be evaluated based on criteria that include connectivity and accessibility to pre-existing conservation tracts, existing working land uses, presence of wetlands and watersheds, and natural habitats that house imperiled species (whether in a present or restorative state). Non-industrial, private forest land may also be enrolled when associated with active agricultural and/or conservation land. NRCS and NFLT encourage landowners and farmers who are historically underserved (HU) to apply. HU farmers are defined as farmers who are beginners, socially disadvantaged, or veterans, and/or who have limited resources.
Participating in the RCPP and RFLPP Grant programs helps secure the future of the nation’s food supply, prevents land with high conservation value from being developed or converted to a non-agricultural use, and provides public benefits including environmental quality, historic preservation, wildlife habitat, and protection of open space.
If you are a landowner interested in conserving your land in partnership with NFLT, the O2O Partnership, and NRCS, please contact:
Heather Barnes, NFLT O2O Coordinator, at hbarnes@nflt.org or call 904 909-1155.
Michael Ruiz, NRCS RCPP-Easements, at michael.ruiz@usda.gov or 352 338-9566.