Transcript USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service

USDA - Natural Resources
Conservation Service
FY 2012 Financial Assistance Programs
Available for Woodland Owners
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This program addresses identified natural resource
concerns, including those related to forestland such
as, Sheet and Rill Erosion, Noxious and Invasive
Plants, T&E Declining Plant Species, and many,
many more.
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This is a “cost-share” program that offers payment
rates of 75% and 90% (of the average state cost) to
install specific conservation practices.
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Some of those practices include:
Practice Name
Component
Unit Type Unit Cost
Must currently have a basal area of 80sqft/acre or less. Exceptions MUST be based on the documented
recommendation of an NRCS forester, NRCS biologist, or partner biologist. Burn plan must be prepared
by a Certified Forester, Consulting Forester, or TSP.
PRESCRIBED BURNING
Acre
19.50
FIREBREAKS
Fire Breaks. Apply the practice according to the Conservation practice standard.
LnFt
0.21
TREE/SHRUB SITE
PREPARATION
Mechanical Site Prep. Apply the practice according to the Conservation Practice Standard.
Acre
101.25
TREE/SHRUB SITE
PREPARATION
Burn. For the establishment of trees and shrubs on cropland, pasture or hayland. Must be part of a plan
that includes Tree and Shrub Establishment (612).A burn plan must be prepared by a Certified Forester,
Consulting Forester, or TSP
Acre
18.75
TREE/SHRUB SITE
PREPARATION
Site Prep Chemical for tree and shrub establishment. For the establishment of trees and shrubs on
cropland, pasture or hayland. Must be part of a plan that includes Tree and Shrub Establishment (612).
Practice requires WinPST assessment
Acre
75.00
TREE/SHRUB SITE
PREPARATION
Herbaceous Weed Control for tree and shrub establishment. For the establishment of trees and shrubs
on cropland, pasture or hayland. Must be part of a plan that includes Tree and Shrub Establishment
(612). Practice requires WinPST assessment
Acre
30.00
TREE/SHRUB SITE
PREPARATION
Subsoil for Plow Hardpan. (This is required for planting of longleafs into fallow fields, cropland and
pastureland.)
Acre
23.06
TREE/SHRUB SITE
PREPARATION
Scalping. Apply the practice according to the Conservation Practice Standard
Acre
15.38
TREE/SHRUB
ESTABLISHMENT
Tree Planting Loblolly Pine. Survival rate should be a minimum of 300 trees per acre after year one.
Apply the practice according to the Conservation Practice Standard
Acre
55.09
TREE/SHRUB
ESTABLISHMENT
Tree Planting Longleaf Pine. Planting rates are limited to 622 trees per acre or less at a maxiumum 7X10
spacing.
Acre
99.45
Tree Planting Native Hardwood species, includes native fruit trees, flowering species.
Acre
68.85
TREE/SHRUB
ESTABLISHMENT
TREE/SHRUB
ESTABLISHMENT
Tree Shelter
No
2.34
FOREST TRAILS AND
LANDINGS
Traversable Waterbar and Dip. Apply the practice according to the Conservation Practice Standard
No
75.53
FOREST STAND
IMPROVEMENT
Forest Stand Improvement for Wildlife - Removal of competition by herbicide or harvest. Use WHIG. For
pine stands, planned basal area must be 80 sq/ft/acre, or less. Apply according to Practice Standard.
Acre
45.00
FOREST STAND
IMPROVEMENT
Forest Stand Improvement (Mechanical) removal of dense under brush woody competition on forest land,
for pine stands, planned basal area must be 80 sq/ft/ac or less. Use the WHIG to document the need for
creating diversity within the planning area.
Acre
228.50
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This program specifically addresses wildlife related
resource concerns such as, T&E Declining Species,
Inadequate Cover/Shelter, Inadequate Food or
Space, Habitat Fragmentation, and others.

This is a “cost-share” program that offers payment
rates of 75% and 90% (of the average state cost) to
install specific conservation practices.

Some of those practices in addition to the ones
listed under EQIP include:
Practice Name
Component
Unit Type Unit Cost
HERBACEOUS WEED
CONTROL
Terrestrial herbaceous invasive species, See SC Major Invasive Species of Concern list for invasive
species that can be cost shared. Practice requires WinPST assessment and mitigation documentation
as necessary
Acre
221.63
HERBACEOUS WEED
CONTROL
Site Prep-Chemical for wildlife habitat (conversion to native herbaceous groundcover). Apply the
Practice according to the Conservation Practice Standard
Acre
94.13
CONSERVATION COVER
Introduced Species (Planting 1 or more introduced or native species). No Invasive Species, See South
Carolina Conservation Cover Technical Guide 327b, Introduced Species for Guidance
Acre
190.21
CONSERVATION COVER
Native Warm Season Grasses (3 species) See South Carolina Conservation Cover Technical Guide
327a, Using Native Species, for Guidance
Acre
233.15
CONSERVATION COVER
Native Herbaceous Cover (2 or more Native Grasses and 2 or more Native Legumes/Forbs) See South
Carolina Conservation Cover Technical Guide 327a, Using Native Species, for Guidance.
Acre
359.75
CONSERVATION COVER
Legumes (Native preferred) See South Carolina Conservation Cover Technical Guides 327 a and b for
Guidance.
Acre
209.08
Acre
528.89
Acre
222.81
Acre
189.09
FIELD BORDER
Flowering plants for pollinators (Plant a mix of 1 species of grass and 9 species of forbs, herb and/or
flowering shrubs native to southeast U.S.) See Pollinator Technical Guide 327c, for Guidance
Native Species (For wildlife benefit, See South Carolina Conservation Cover Technical Guide 327a
Using Native Species, for Guidance). Apply the practice according to the Conservation practice
standard.
Planted Introduced Species (For wildlife benefit, See South Carolina Conservation Cover Technical
Guide 327b Using Introduced Species, for Guidance). Apply the practice according to the
Conservation practice standard.
RESTORATION AND
MANAGEMENT OF
DECLINING SPECIES
Planting local ecotype native grass and forbs, and wiregrass (seeds or plugs) for community
restoration, must be planned in conjunction with Conservation Cover 327 practice. Apply the practice
according to the Conservation Practice Standard
Acre
428.25
UPLAND WILDLIFE
HABITAT MANAGEMENT
Nesting /Roosting Structures for Birds/Bats
Each
38.63
EARLY SUCCESSIONAL
WILDLIFE HABITAT
Rotational Disking (Payment on Only those acres actually disked each year)
Acre
24.48
CONSERVATION COVER
FIELD BORDER
This program focuses specifically on the reestablishment of the native Longleaf Pine
ecosystem
National Initiative that includes 9 states where
Longleaf Pine has a “historic range”
Practices offered include:
 Tree/Shrub Establishment
 Prescribed Burning
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Forest Stand Improvement
Restoration and Management of Rare and Declining
Habitats
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Firebreaks
Tree/Shrub Site Preparation
Forest Trails and Landings
Upland Wildlife Habitat Management
Wetland Wildlife Habitat Management
Early Successional Habitat Development/Mgt.
Access Control
Pest Management
Conservation Cover
Brush Management
Herbaceous Weed Control

This program rewards those landowners that are
already practicing good conservation by offering
financial assistance to “enhance” existing
conservation activities.

This is an “annual payment” program and the rates
are calculated based on points that the application
receives.

Some of the “enhancements” offered include:
Creating snags, den trees, and coarse woody debris on the forest floor to a level
optimum for native wildlife usage and long-term forest soil health. May be implemented
separately or during thinning or harvesting
Retrofit existing watering facilities (troughs, tanks, etc.) to allow for escape of wildlife that
become trapped while trying to drink.
ANM15
Forest stand improvement for Wildlife Habitat and Soil Quality
ANM18
Retrofit watering facility for wildlife escape
ANM19
Wildlife corridors
Wildlife corridors are linear strips of vegetation that connect 2 or more patches of
suitable wildlife habitat. Participants will establish vegetative corridors as described
below.
ANM20
Silvopasture for wildlife habitat
Manage silvopastures to promote plant diversity for wildlife habitat.
PLT01
Establish pollinator habitat
Establish nectar and pollen producing plants in non-cropped areas such as field borders,
vegetative barriers, contour buffer strips, waterways, shelterbelts, windbreaks,
conservation cover, and riparian forest and herbaceous buffers.
PLT03
Forest stand improvement, pre-treating vegetation and fuels
Manage vegetation and fuels in a forested area with mechanical/manual methods to
facilitate future treatment with prescribed fire to restore native forest condition.
PLT04
Forest stand improvement, prescribed burning
PLT05
Multi-story cropping, sustainable management of non-timber
forest plants
PLT07
Hardwood crop tree release
PLT11
Conifer Crop Tree Release
PLT12
Patch Harvesting
PLT13
Forest Stand Improvement for Wildfire Reduction
PLT14
Alley cropping establishment for wildlife and beneficial insect
habitat
SQL08
Forest Stand Improvement for Soil Quality
Prescribed use of fire in a forest to restore native forest conditions with a focus on
improving the condition of fire-adapted plants and wildlife habitat and reducing the risk of
damage from intense, severe wildfires.
Manipulation of forest species composition, structure, and canopy cover to achieve or
maintain a desired native plant community to facilitate the sustainable management of
native non-timber forest plant(s) (e.g., goldenseal, ramps, mushrooms, ginseng, ferns,
“sugarbush”, etc.).
Hardwood Crop Tree Release (CTR) in hardwood stands is a silvicultural technique used
to enhance the performance of individual trees, while improving other objectives such as
wildlife management, recreation, timber value, and aesthetics.
A silvicultural technique for western softwood forests used to enhance the performance
of individual trees, while improving other objectives such as wildlife management,
recreation, timber value, and aesthetics.
Patch Harvesting is a silvicultural practice used to naturally regenerate over-mature
and/or degraded hardwood stands while providing added cover and browse for several
game and non-game species of wildlife.
Requiring landowners to approach wildfire management by establishing fire lines (where
appropriate and applicable), fuel breaks (where appropriate and applicable), develop an
approved fire plan which would include plan to maintain critical access roads, scouting,
access control, identification of water sources, critical contacts, training and posting of
plans and phone numbers.
Planting trees or shrubs in alternating rows with row crops, forage or horticultural crops
in areas between the rows, providing plant diversity, improve soil quality and wildlife
habitat.
The management of the forest to improve the soil quality in the forest.
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This program focuses on the restoration and
enhancement of forest ecosystems for
threatened/endangered species.
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In SC, the program focuses on Longleaf Pine
Ecosystems and the protection of the Red-cockaded
Woodpecker.
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This program offers permanent or 30-year
easements and 10-year cost share agreements.
STEP 1:
Contact your local NRCS District Conservationist and
schedule an appointment to begin the conservation
planning process.
For woodland owners, this means developing a forest
management plan (which is a required element for
EQIP financial assistance).
STEP 2:
Obtain a Farm and Tract number with the Farm Service
Agency to become a USDA participant.
STEP 3:
Complete the necessary application forms including, but
not limited to the:
CPA-1200 – Application Form
SF-1199 – Direct Deposit Form
FSA-211 – Power of Attorney (if applicable)
CCC-901 or 902 – Member’s Information Sheet (if legal entity)
CCC-931 – Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)
AD-1026 - Highly Erodible Land (HEL) and Wetland Determination
Form
1. Must be an individual or legal entity
2. Must have Signature Authority
3. Owner or actively engaged in the management of
the agricultural or forestry operation being
enrolled. Documented by either of the following:
a. Records from FSA to identify owner or
operator
b. Production of $1,000 in Ag products
produced, sold or both. Woodland owners are
EXEMPT from this requirement.
4. Have control of the land
5. Be in compliance with HEL and wetland provisions
6. Meet AGI requirements:
a. Non-farm income cannot exceed $1M (unless
66.66% of the total Non-farm and Farm is FARM
income)
b. Farm income cannot exceed $750,000
7. Be within the appropriate Farm Bill payment
limitations ($300,000 over 6 year period of 20092014)
8. Meet Historically Underserved criteria if selfcertifying as such to receive the 90% payment rate
9. Have an identified resource concern that may be
addressed through the program you are applying
for
Participants meeting one of the three
categories of “historically underserved” are
eligible for the 90% payment rate. Those are:
1. New/Beginning Farmer – must meet BOTH
a. Not operated for more than 10
consecutive years
b. Must provide the day-to-day operations
(labor)
2. Socially Disadvantaged – includes all minority
participants
3. Limited Resource Farmer – must meet BOTH
a. Gross farm sales of not more than the
current indexed value in EACH of the previous 2
years
b. Total household income AT or BELOW the
national poverty level for a family of four
For more information on this designation please go
to: http://www.lrftool.sc.egov.usda.gov
EQIP
2010 – $8 M (about $400,000 in Forestland)
2011 – $8.67 M (about $345,000 in Forestland)
WHIP
2010 – $2.2 M ($1.1 M in the Longleaf Initiative)
2011 – $2.7 M ($1.5 M in the Longleaf Initiative)
CSP
2010 – $1.1 M in Forestland
2011 – $230,000 in Forestland
HFRP
2011 - $950,000
Kellee Melton, Assistant State Conservationist for Programs
[email protected]
803.765.5681
Shaun Worley, Program Specialist for EQIP, WHIP, HFRP
[email protected]
803.253.3512
Glenn Sandifer, Program Specialist for CSP
[email protected]
803.253.3894