Program Status - Wetlands Reserve Program

Wetlands Conservation in Voluntary Cooperation with Private Landowners --
The Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) was established by the 1990 Farm Bill. The program has become a popular, cost-effective, and ecologically successful voluntary, incentive-based wetlands restoration program. WRP provides incentives to farmers and ranchers to stop cultivating areas that were once wetlands and make them wetlands again. WRP met the acreage limit established prior to the 2002 Farm Bill. However, Congress raised the program’s total acreage enrollment limit to 2,275,000 acres. This action enables WRP to continue to be a viable option for the nation’s private landowners who want to restore wetlands through 2007. As of fiscal year 2006, 9951 projects have been enrolled on 1,899,979 acres. Landowner interest in the program remains strong. NRCS anticipates enrolling 150,000 acres in fiscal year 2007.

On Earth Day 2004, President George W. Bush announced a new strategy for increasing wetlands acres and quality and established an aggressive new national goal—moving beyond the “no net loss” of wetlands to have an overall increase of wetlands each year. The President’s goal is to create, improve, and protect at least three million wetland acres over the next five years. WRP can help accomplish this. For more information, visit www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/environment/index-cont.html

Photo of ducks taken on WRP project in Illinois

Landowners have three program participation options:

• Short-term 10-year restoration cost-share agreements,
• Mid-term 30-year conservation easements, and
• Permanent easements.

NRCS provides financial assistance in the form of easement payments and restoration cost-share assistance, and technical assistance for restoration and wetland management.

Enrolled lands are mostly marginal, high-risk, flood prone restorable agricultural wetlands. All states and Puerto Rico have active WRP projects. The top 10 states in terms of enrollment are Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, California, Florida, Missouri, Iowa, Texas, Minnesota, and Oklahoma. Nationally, the full average project cost per acre is approximately $1,470.  In FY 2004 the average project size was approximately 188 acres.

Landowners participating in WRP continue to control access, have use of non-developed recreational activities such as hunting and fishing, and maintain the right to lease the recreational uses of their land for financial gain provided this use does not otherwise impact or conflict with other uses prohibited by the warranty easement deed.  At any time during the contract period, landowners may request NRCS approval of other prohibited uses that maybe compatible with wetland and wildlife conservation objectives of the program. WRP funds and subsequent lease revenue provide financial relief to landowners and reduce future disaster assistance needs.

 

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