NACD: Conservation Districts Named as RCPP Project Leads During FY 21 Funding
WASHINGTON – Today, the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) applauded the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for announcing a number of conservation district-led projects under this year’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) Classic Awards.
“We congratulate the conservation districts named as leads for this year’s RCPP projects, as well as those who work in cooperation with other project leads to help accomplish RCPP goals,” NACD President Michael Crowder said.
Recently expanded under the 2018 Farm Bill, RCPP uses a partner-driven approach to fund innovative conservation projects to improve water quality and quantity, soil health and wildlife habitat. Project leaders work with private landowners and producers to implement conservation practices depending on the challenges of their local landscape.
Today’s RCPP announcement consists of $330 million in awards, an increase over previous rounds of funding, as a result of changes in the 2018 Farm Bill for which NACD advocated.
Conservation districts are listed as leads for at least 10 projects:
- Ottawa Conservation District (Mich.);
- Cascadia Conservation District (Wash.);
- Dane County Land and Water Resources Department (Wisc.);
- Little Snake River Conservation District (Wyo.);
- New Mexico Association of Conservation Districts (N.M.);
- Roberts Conservation District (S.D.);
- Cheyenne County Conservation District (Kan.);
- Highland Soil and Water Conservation District (Ohio);
- South Kona Soil and Water Conservation District (Hawaii); and
- Mission Resource Conservation District (Calif.),
but also serve as collaborators on other projects.
“Conservation districts are integral to the success of RCPP, as their on-the-ground expertise and relationships help put conservation in action,” Crowder said. “We look forward to the innovative, locally-led conservation solutions that will emerge through these partnerships.”
NRCS intends to release the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 RCPP Classic announcement in summer 2021.
Learn more about the task force on NACD’s website.
About the National Association of Conservation Districts:
The National Association of Conservation Districts is the nonprofit organization that represents the nation’s 3,000 conservation districts, their state and territory associations and the 17,000 men and women who serve on their governing boards. For more than 70 years, local conservation districts have worked with cooperating landowners and managers of private working lands to help them plan and apply effective conservation practices. For more information about NACD, visit: www.nacdnet.org.
