Natural Resource Partners Strengthen their Commitment to Sound, Proven Conservation Planning
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is one of three Colorado agencies and organizations to have entered a collaborative partnership to reinvigorate natural resource conservation planning and implementation throughout the State. The NRCS, the Colorado Association of Conservation Districts (CACD), and Colorado Department of Agriculture’s (CDA) State Conservation Board (CSCB) have joined forces to implement the State’s Conservation Planning 1st Initiative (CPI).
“Conservation planning serves as the foundation for the technical assistance that the NRCS and conservation partner staff provide to farmers, ranchers and forestry producers” said Clint Evans, NRCS State Conservationist in Colorado. “The partnership’s efforts to prioritize technical assistance through conservation planning will enable agricultural producers and private landowners to protect, restore and conserve the natural resources on their farms, ranches and forest lands for future generations.”
The partnership between NRCS, CACD, and CSCB will enable conservation outreach, planning, and implementation efforts to better serve Colorado’s agricultural producers and natural resources into the future. The goal is to provide Colorado farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners with sound conservation planning assistance, which may then lead to NRCS or State program financial assistance to help implement the conservation plan.
“CACD recognizes the importance of conservation planning and the need to develop a strong conservation planning partnership in Colorado,” said Gary Thrash, CACD Director and Colorado’s National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) Alternate Representative. “This will better equip our producers in implementing their own plan in order to benefit in the best way possible from the programs that are available to them. CACD is excited to play a role in this endeavor to serve our districts and stakeholders by improving partnership efforts that will deliver conservation planning assistance.”
“Conservation Planning is the first step for a landowner to critically review goals for their land productivity to better utilize limited water and improve soil function. CDA and the conservation districts are excited to work more closely with NRCS to help landowners improve resilience to drought and increase productivity through conservation planning and access to financial and technical assistance,” Cindy Lair, Conservation Program Manager, Colorado Department of Agriculture.
Conservation plans are valuable and are the first step in moving forward with NRCS financial assistance. To sign up for the Conservation Planning 1st Initiative, Colorado farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners are encouraged to contact their local NRCS field office today or go to www.co.nrcs.usda.gov and complete the online Conservation Plan Request before the Friday, July 23rd cutoff.
NRCS field offices are located in USDA Service Centers. To find the local NRCS field office near you, please visit http://www.Farmers.gov and select contact us
Sincerely,
Scott Jones, President
Colorado Association of Conservation Districts