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For Immediate Release
Contact:
Brenda Ling, public affairs specialist, Wyoming NRCS, (307) 233-6759
Jody Holzworth, public affairs specialist, internal/external communications NRCS,
(202) 720-5975
NRCS and FWS Reach Historic Agreement to Extend Wildlife Conservation Efforts on
Working Agricultural Lands
WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2012 – Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
Chief Dave White and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Director Dan Ashe
today announced an agreement that will provide long-term regulatory
predictability for up to 30 years to farmers, ranchers and forest landowners
participating in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Working Lands for Wildlife
(WLFW) Initiative. Participants voluntarily implement proven conservation
practices designed to protect wildlife habitat, including several at risk
species and vulnerable game species on private lands.
“This agreement will change the way we manage at-risk species on private lands,”
White said. “It will provide landowners with a mechanism to keep working lands
in production while complying with the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and will
facilitate restoration of habitat for at-risk species. It also will help
farmers, ranchers and forest landowners rest a little easier knowing their
operations are protected for the long term and that they are contributing to
conserving vital natural resources.”
The agreement builds on a $33 million investment NRCS announced last spring
dedicated toward producers who develop and implement conservation plans to
manage and restore high-priority habitats for seven specific wildlife species
across the country. The species are greater Sage-grouse, New England cottontail,
bog turtle, golden-winged warbler, gopher tortoise, lesser prairie-chicken and
the Southwestern willow flycatcher. NRCS, FWS and numerous state and local
entities are partnering to implement WLFW.
“This important partnership underscores the outstanding conservation stewardship
provided by America’s farmers and ranchers across the country,” Ashe said. “It
is a clear example of the compatibility of working landscapes and species
conservation. We are pleased to be able to support this creative partnership
that provides predictability to landowners who volunteer to implement
conservation practices that benefit wildlife.”
With today’s agreement, farmers, ranchers and forest landowners who implement
and voluntarily agree to maintain the proven conservation practices in WLFW will
have addressed the related ESA regulatory responsibilities for up to 30 years.
These landowners will be able to operate their farms and ranches as agreed upon,
providing economic benefits and species conservation simultaneously.
Under the WLFW partnership, federal, state and wildlife experts jointly
identified at-risk or listed species that would benefit from targeted habitat
restoration investments on private lands. Using the best available science,
these wildlife experts prioritized restoration actions on a large regional scale
to focus assistance most cost effectively. The federal government will grant
farmers, ranchers and forest landowners regulatory predictability in return for
voluntarily making wildlife habitat improvements on their private agricultural
and forest lands. Participating producers must adhere to the requirements of
each conservation practice during the term of their contract, which can last
from one to 15 years. If landowners would like to receive regulatory
predictability for up to 30 years, they must maintain the conservation practices
as outlined in the NRCS and FWS agreement.
For more information about Working Lands for Wildlife,
please visit
http://go.usa.gov/rsUj.
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USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation
Service (NRCS) helps America’s farmers and ranchers conserve the Nation’s soil,
water, air and other natural resources. All programs are voluntary and offer
science-based solutions that benefit both the landowner and the environment.
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NRCS on
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USDA blog. Watch videos on our
YouTube channel.
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