Applications from Conservation-Minded Landowners for the FY 2023 Minnesota NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) are due by May 12, 2023

ST. PAUL, MINN, April 7, 2023,  - Landowners are encouraged to apply for financial assistance to implement conservation activities under three Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) projects in Minnesota: American Bird Conservancy (ABC) - Improving Forest Health for Wildlife Resource (Project ID #2245), Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) - Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program (Project ID #2129), and Morrison SWCD Camp Ripley Sentinel Landscape (CRSL (Project ID #2677).

The RCPP offers new opportunities for the NRCS, conservation partners, and agricultural producers to work together to harness innovation, expand the conservation mission, and demonstrate the intrinsic value provided by voluntary private lands conservation. Participants in RCPP must meet RCPP requirements which are similar to other USDA Farm Bill program requirements.

ABC: Improving Forest Health for Wildlife Resource

The project will enhance and maintain habitat for the Golden-winged Warbler and Kirtland’s Warbler. Both are Species of Greatest Conservation Need. Conservation activities could range from forest stand improvement, prescribed burns and fish and wildlife habitat management plans. 

Lead Partner: American Bird Conservancy

Eligible Area: Counties in Minnesota include Aitkin, Becker, Beltrami, Carlton, Cass, Clearwater, Crow Wing, Hubbard, Itasca, Kanabec, Koochiching, Lake, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Pine, Roseau, St. Louis, Wadena.

MDA: Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program

The project will be used to support the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP), which is a voluntary approach for producers and agricultural landowners to become certified through a whole-farm evaluation that assesses the operation’s risk to water quality and management of that risk. Producers that demonstrate superior water quality conservation management will receive certification by the State of Minnesota and receive regulatory certainty for the duration of their ten-year certification, which stipulates they are deemed to be in compliance with any new state water quality laws and rules which take effect during the certification period. 

Lead Partner: MN Department of Agriculture

Eligible Area: Covers all of Minnesota.

Morrison SWCD – Camp Ripley Sentinel Landscape (CRSL)

The Camp Ripley Sentinel Landscape (CRSL) committee is a 17-partner team comprised of Federal, State, County, Local and non-government organizations with a diverse scope of conservation priorities. The CRSL was chosen because it's at a convergence of quality water features, including 50 of the first 400 miles of the Mississippi River and four tributaries; two ecological zones and thousands of acres of public and private lands with Camp Ripley, the largest Game Refuge in the state, as the anchor.

Lead Partner: Morrison Soil and Water Conservation District

Eligible Area: Counites in Minnesota include Cass, Crow Wing, Morrison, and Todd.