Transcript Document

Longleaf Regional
Conservation
Partnership Program
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Longleaf Partnership Council Meeting
Biloxi, Mississippi
REGIONAL CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP
PROGRAM (RCPP)
•
Establishes a new partnership program which consolidates four previous
programs into one to support projects that improve soil quality, water
quality and quantity, and/or wildlife habitat on a regional scale.
•
8 critical conservation areas (CCA) to be identified
•
•
Avoid regulatory challenges (CWA, CAA, ESA)
•
Regional, watershed, resource scale
•
Longleaf potential CCA
How can we best leverage new opportunities in farm bill to provide more
$$ on the ground for longleaf? What are the key needs/gaps?
LONGLEAF RCPP
KEY NEEDS –PRIVATE LANDS
• Increase acreage of prescribed burning and other
improvements on private lands.
• Increase capacity and coordination of private
landowner technical assistance and outreach.
• Support Local Implementation Team capacity to
understand needs and enhance conservation delivery.
• Improve verification and monitoring on private lands
to ensure working toward better outcomes.
• Increase involvement of large landowners in
restoration and maintenance of longleaf.
LONGLEAF RCPP
OPPORTUNITY/POTENTIAL MECHANISM
• NRCS Interests
• Leverage
• Ability to convene multiple partners and implement well
coordinated strategy
• NFWF Opportunity
• $5 – 7 million new funds for longleaf
• Needs to be levered up significantly with add’l new funds
• Contribute to long-term work with large-scale impact
• Longleaf Stewardship Fund?
LONGLEAF RCPP
NEXT STEPS
• RFP- end of May/mid June,
due in Sept.?
• Establish working group –
what can we accomplish?
• Develop proposal, get
feedback