Sign up for Wildlife Incentive Program

The Natural Resources Conservation Service has announced the sign-ups for its Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program will continue through April 8.  Applicants in Montgomery County may sign up for the program at the NRCS office located at 600-Q Main Street in Hot Springs, 501-624-2574, ext. 3.

The program addresses wildlife habitat in riparian areas, wetlands, uplands and cave ecosystems; and elk and quail habitat.  Each area will have specific conservation practices eligible for cost-sharing that benefit certain wildlife species.

Applicants will be ranked according to how the wildlife habitat development plan will effect certain wildlife populations.  The plans will be developed by the landowner with assistance from an Arkansas Game and Fish Commission biologist and NRCS conservationist.  The plans will be implemented during a long-term agreement that generally lasts from five to 10 years from the date the agreement is signed.

A wildlife habitat development plan outlines management practices as well as establishment practices such as planting and seeding.  Plans include practices to manage plant succession in fields and forests and may prescribe management techniques such as burning, discing and mowing herbaceous stands.

Plans may also include forest management practices such as forest stand improvement by herbicide treatment and harvesting small groups of trees to create the proper density, composition and age of the stand for different wildlife species.  On wetland areas, plans outline dates and rates of water drawdown to encourage different species of annual native plants for waterfowl and shorebirds.

The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program is a voluntary program for people who want to develop and improve wildlife habitat primarily on private land.

Grassland Program Signup Continues

Signups for the 2005 Grassland Reserve Program Continue through April 8 at the local USDA service center.
The Grassland Reserve Program is a voluntary one offering financial and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers to protect, restore and enhance grasslands on their property.
Section 2401 of the Farm Security and Rural investment Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 107-171) amended the Food Security Act of 1985 to authorize this program.  The Natural Resource Conservation Service, Farm Service Agency and Forest Service are coordinating implementation of GRP, which helps landowners restore and protect grassland, rangeland, pastureland, shrubland and certain other lands and provides assistance for rehabilitating grasslands.
The program's objective is to conserve vulnerable grasslands from conversion to cropland or other uses and to aid in maintaining viable farming and ranching operations.
"Grasslands provide critical ecological benefits and play a key role in environmental quality, as well as contributing to the economies of many rural areas," said Kalven L. Thrice, state conservationist.  "This voluntary program helps protect valuable grasslands from conversion to other land uses, thus helping to ensure this national resource is available to future generations."
Grasslands make up the largest land cover on America's private lands.  Privately-owned grasslands and shrublands cover more than 525 million acres in the United States.
"When properly managed, grasslands and shrublands can result in cleaner water supplies, healthier riparian areas and reduced sediment loadings in streams and other water bodies.  These lands are vital for the production of forage for domestic livestock and provide forage and habitat for maintaining healthy wildlife populations.  These lands also improve the aesthetic character of the landscape, provide scenic vistas and open space, provide recreational activities and protect the soil from water and wind erosion," Trice said.
GRP offers producers several enrollment options: permanent easements, 30-year easements, rental agreements (10, 15, 20 or 30 year duration) and restoration agreements.  For permanent easements, USDA makes a payment based on the market value of the property less the grazing value.  For 30-year easements, USDA pays 30 percent of what would be paid for a permanent easement.  For rental agreements, USDA pays 75 percent of the grazing value in annual payments for the length of the agreement.
Restoration agreements are available as needed to applicants selected for an easement or rental agreement.  Under these agreements, USDA pays up to 90 percent of the restoration costs on grassland or shrubland that has never been cultivated and not more than 75 percent on restored grassland and shrubland that once was cultivated.
To participate in GRP, offers must be private land that includes at least 40 contiguous acres, except native prairie must be at least 20 contiguous acres.  Applicants selected will also be required to use rotational grazing.
For more information about GRP and other conservation programs, contact your local USDA Service Center listed in the telephone book under U.S. Department of Agriculture or go online at http://offices.usda.gov/ .
Information including Federal Register notices and rules is also available at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/GRP/ .

Monthly Board Meeting

Monthly Board Meetings are held on the fourth Thursday of each month at 3:30pm at the MCCD Office, 135 West St. on the Square in Mount Ida.  The public is invited to attend.