Many living in the state of Florida understand why wetlands are treasures of the state. But according to the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, nearly half of 20.3 million wetland acres have been lost since settlers began draining and diking wetlands in the 19th century. And of course the growing population threatens what remains. So USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation service …
Monroe County Removes Sediment in Florida Keys
After a hurricane, or other natural disasters, the Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP) is there to help many landowners. A good example of that is work taking place in Monroe County, Florida. The Florida Keys took the brunt of Hurricane Irma back in 2017, filling the network of canals with debris and sediment along with widespread damage. But that debris has …
Florida NRCS Holding State Technical Committee Meeting
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida will conduct a State Technical Committee Meeting this Tuesday, May 21 from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Doyle Conner Agriculture Building Auditorium in Gainesville. The meeting is open to the public and will give an overview of the 2018 Farm Bill programs and conservation easements. NRCS will solicit recommendations …
NRCS Florida State Technical Committee Meeting is Tuesday
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida will conduct a State Technical Committee Meeting on Tuesday, May 21 starting at 10 a.m. in the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Doyle Conner Agriculture Building Auditorium in Gainesville. The meeting is open to the public and will give an overview of the 2018 Farm Bill programs and conservation easements. Florida State Conservationist Russell …
Coastal Headwaters Longleaf Forest Project
As part of a multi-year effort to expand longleaf pine forests across the Southeast, last week the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida, The Conservation Fund, and Resource Management Service held an event in Pace, Florida, to celebrate the completion of the first phase of the Coastal Headwaters Longleaf Forest project. The 3,719-acre conservation easement will restore …
Florida Conservation Easement Signup Deadline Is Thursday
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida reminds landowners the deadline to apply for funding of agricultural easements in the state is Thursday, April 25. NRCS provides financial and technical assistance to conserve working lands and wetlands through two programs: Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) and Wetland Reserve Easements (WRE). Agricultural landowners and Indian tribes can …
Florida Conservation Easement Signup Ends Next Week
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida wants to remind landowners that applications to fund agricultural easements in Florida are being accepted until April 25. NRCS provides financial and technical assistance to conserve working lands and wetlands through two programs, the Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) and Wetland Reserve Easements (WRE). Through ALE, NRCS provides financial assistance to conservation partners for …
USDA Program Helps Florida Recover from Hurricane Irma
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has approved $99.3 million for 37 projects in 23 counties through the Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP) to help state and local governments recover from Hurricane Irma. The storm caused widespread damage to buildings, water infrastructure and major erosion when it tore through parts of Florida in September of 2017. Workers have been removing sediment, trees and debris from waterways and stabilizing banks …
NRCS Florida State Technical Committee Meeting
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida has announced they will conduct a State Technical Committee Meeting on May 21, from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Doyle Conner Agriculture Building Auditorium in Gainesville. The meeting is open to the public and will give an overview of the 2018 Farm Bill programs and conservation easements. This year’s …
Federal Program Repairs Popular Arcadia Park
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service has provided $740,000 to DeSoto County through Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP) assistance to help to repair hurricane damage a popular park in Arcadia, Fla. Hurricane Irma struck Southwest Florida as a Category 3 in fall 2017. The hurricane dropped from 10 to 15 inches in the Peace River drainage area, which covers 1,367 square miles. The Peace …