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Release No.: 025.21
USDA-NRCS IN GEORGIA AND GEORGIA CONSERVANCY, INC. ANNOUNCE GEORGIA SENTINEL LANDSCAPE SIGN-UP
ATHENS, GA, September 30, 2021 — State Conservationist Terrance O. Rudolph of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Katherine Moore, president of the Georgia Conservancy Inc., announced today that a sign up for the Georgia Sentinel Landscape Project is underway. The deadline for eligible producers in Georgia to apply is November 5, 2021
This state project covering Georgia is one of 48 projects across the country that was selected for funding through the fiscal year 2019 Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). This project was developed in conjunction with the Georgia Sentinel Landscape (GSL)) which is a partnership consisting of the US Department of Agriculture, US Department of the Interior, US Department of Defense, the Georgia Forestry Commission, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, The Nature Conservancy, The Georgia Conservancy, The Georgia-Alabama Land Trust and over a dozen other partners. GSL is one of seven designated Sentinel Landscapes in the nation. Sentinel Landscapes are working, or natural lands important to the National Defense mission, places where preserving the working and rural character of key landscapes strengthens the economies of farms, ranches, and forests as well as protecting the military mission.
The 11-county focus areas for prescribed fire and firebreak related practices for this land management funding announcement include Camden, Chattahoochee, Evans, Long, Macon, Marion, McIntosh, Schley, Talbot, Tattnall, and Taylor counties.
The Georgia Conservancy and partners plan to expand prescribed fire efforts in these focus areas to improve longleaf pine ecosystem management. This funding is a portion of the GSL project, which collectively invests almost $4.3 million, complements Department of Defense Sentinel Landscape activities in Georgia, and supports Georgia’s Gopher Tortoise Initiative goals.
Land Management Activities
Producers in these Georgia counties looking to improve potential and existing Gopher Tortoise habitat through producer land management contracts involving conservation practices like prescribed burn, and firebreaks, should visit their local USDA Service Center and submit their Conservation Program Application (NRCS-CPA-1200) before the November 5th deadline.
“This blend of public and private partnerships is just another example of how we can create a new conservation opportunity that benefits the communities we serve,” said Rudolph. “By leveraging all these resources, we are building more wildfire resilient landscapes, improving wildlife habitat, and helping to protect our nation’s military readiness.
The Georgia Conservancy Inc. is based in Georgia and is leading the Georgia Sentinel Landscape RCPP project. Moore, said of the project, “Georgia Conservancy is pleased to work with the NRCS to offer this program to landowners in the Georgia Sentinel Landscape. Prescribed fire brings many benefits to our rare species as well as our populations of quail, deer, and turkey.”
In the 2018 Farm Bill, the Regional Conservation Partnership Program promotes coordination of NRCS conservation activities with partners that offer value-added contributions to expand our collective ability to address on-farm, watershed, and regional natural resource concerns. Through RCPP, NRCS seeks to co-invest with partners to implement projects that demonstrate innovative solutions to conservation challenges and provide measurable improvements and outcomes tied to the resource concerns they seek to address.
NRCS provides leadership in a partnership effort to help people conserve, maintain and improve our natural resources and environment. More information on NRCS conservation programs can be found at https://www.farmers.gov/ or https://www.ga.nrcs.usda.gov under the Programs tab.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is engaged in a whole-of-government effort to combat the climate crisis and conserve and protect our nation’s lands, biodiversity and natural resources including our soil, air and water. Through conservation practices and partnerships, USDA aims to enhance economic growth and create new streams of income for farmers, ranchers, producers and private foresters. Successfully meeting these challenges will require USDA and our agencies to pursue a coordinated approach alongside USDA stakeholders, including State, local and Tribal governments.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit https://www.usda.gov.
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