PLJV Working to Get Ahead of CRP Turnover
With the impending expiration of nearly 7 million acres of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contracts in the PLJV region, coupled with a CRP re-enrollment and extension process that might leave the region out in the cold, conservationists are warning there could be a massive turnover of CRP acres in the region by the end of 2007, and are pushing to prioritize playas for future CRP signups.
"Of the nearly 17 million CRP acres that will be expiring, about 7 million are in the PLJV region," said Barth Crouch, PLJV Vice Chair and regional biologist for Pheasants Forever. "We have more to lose to expirations than any other region in nation. We need to be finding ways to get the most sensitive acres back in CRP."
Nationwide, CRP contracts covering about 17 million acres are due to expire in September 2007, and another 11 million acres will expire by 2010. Recently, the USDA issued guidelines for how the agency will prioritize and issue re-enrollments and extensions, which favors contracts with the highest Environmental Benefits Index (EBI) score. The EBI is a set of criteria that every CRP contract is evaluated by which assigns points based on environmental benefits such as increasing water quality, reducing wind and soil erosion and wildlife benefits. A large number of CRP contracts in the PLJV region have lower than average EBI scores, putting them in the lowest tier which is only eligible for shorter-term re-enrollments and extensions.
Recently, the PLJV has been upping its efforts to raise awareness of the environmental benefits of playas, particularly to national and local USDA officials, with the hopes of revising the EBI for 2007 so that playas are given recognition for the tremendous water quality and quantity, soil erosion and wildlife benefits that they provide. Playas are not categorized as wetlands under the current EBI. It is only recently that playas were given consideration by CRP with the Wetlands Restoration Non Floodplain Initiative, or CP23a, which was extremely important to start the process of getting playas recognized as wetlands, says Crouch.
"Because there are a fair amount of CRP acres dropping out, there should be quite a number of acres available, perhaps as many as 4-5 million for the next signup in 2007," Crouch said. "This could be more acres available to playas. That's why what the PLJV is doing is so important, showing where playas are, how important they are and how they can be used for EBI scores. The PLJV is talking to the Farm Service Agency on how they can better help offices in the PLJV region to find playas and assess priority. PLJV will be at the table when they talk about EBI revision for the next signup in 2007."
Landowner Survey Hits the PLJV Region
Starting this month, 1,800 landowners and land managers across the PLJV region will be receiving the High Plains Landowner Survey, a questionnaire aimed at assessing farmers' and ranchers' experience with and opinions of playas, wetlands and other natural resources of the High Plains. The survey was developed by the PLJV and DJ Case and Associates, and the first of four mail waves is set to begin in March.
The survey includes 21 questions designed to measure participants' opinions and experiences of having wetlands on their land, willingness to conduct conservation work and preference for different types of incentives, as well as a range of questions to ascertain opinions and knowledge of playas and other wildlife habitats. Stay tuned to the Playa Post in July when we will publish the results of the survey.
Playa Country Radio Features Local Partnerships
Tune into Playa Country radio this month for insight into what makes our local partners tick. Throughout March, Playa Country will feature one local partnership each week that is leading grass roots environmental conservation efforts - including the Oklahoma Wildlife and Prairie Heritage Alliance, Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams, Texas Prairie Rivers Region, and the Colorado Prairie and Wetlands Focus Area Committee.
Playa Country is broadcast on the High Plains Public Radio network every Monday morning at 10:30 and again Saturday at 11:15am CST. If you don't get Playa Country in your neck of the prairie, tell your local farm or public radio station about it and let us know.
Happenings Around the PLJV:
> March 5-10: Central Flyway Technical Committee meeting; Ft Collins, CO; contact Jim Gammonley.
> March 8: Playa Exhibit opens at the Sternberg Museum in Hays, KS.
> March 8: Colorado Natural Resources Conservation Service State Technical Committee Meeting; Golden, CO; contact Linda Neel.
> March 9: Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams Board Meeting; Hays, KS; contact Tim Christian.
> March 12-18: National Groundwater Awareness Week
> March 15-17: Partners in Flight Western Working Group Meeting in Missoula, MT; contact Larry Neel.
> March 16-19: Rivers and Wildlife Celebration and Nebraska Partnership for All Bird Conservation steering committee and workgroup meetings; Kearney, NE.
> March 22-25: 71st Annual North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference; Columbus, OH.
> March 27: Colorado Prairie and Wetland Focus Area Committee meeting in La Junta, CO; contact Tammy VerCauteren.
> April 7 - 9: New Mexico's 5th Annual Lesser Prairie Chicken Festival; Milnesand, NM; contact Dawn Davis.
With the impending expiration of nearly 7 million acres of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contracts in the PLJV region, coupled with a CRP re-enrollment and extension process that might leave the region out in the cold, conservationists are warning there could be a massive turnover of CRP acres in the region by the end of 2007, and are pushing to prioritize playas for future CRP signups.
"Of the nearly 17 million CRP acres that will be expiring, about 7 million are in the PLJV region," said Barth Crouch, PLJV Vice Chair and regional biologist for Pheasants Forever. "We have more to lose to expirations than any other region in nation. We need to be finding ways to get the most sensitive acres back in CRP."
Nationwide, CRP contracts covering about 17 million acres are due to expire in September 2007, and another 11 million acres will expire by 2010. Recently, the USDA issued guidelines for how the agency will prioritize and issue re-enrollments and extensions, which favors contracts with the highest Environmental Benefits Index (EBI) score. The EBI is a set of criteria that every CRP contract is evaluated by which assigns points based on environmental benefits such as increasing water quality, reducing wind and soil erosion and wildlife benefits. A large number of CRP contracts in the PLJV region have lower than average EBI scores, putting them in the lowest tier which is only eligible for shorter-term re-enrollments and extensions.
Recently, the PLJV has been upping its efforts to raise awareness of the environmental benefits of playas, particularly to national and local USDA officials, with the hopes of revising the EBI for 2007 so that playas are given recognition for the tremendous water quality and quantity, soil erosion and wildlife benefits that they provide. Playas are not categorized as wetlands under the current EBI. It is only recently that playas were given consideration by CRP with the Wetlands Restoration Non Floodplain Initiative, or CP23a, which was extremely important to start the process of getting playas recognized as wetlands, says Crouch.
"Because there are a fair amount of CRP acres dropping out, there should be quite a number of acres available, perhaps as many as 4-5 million for the next signup in 2007," Crouch said. "This could be more acres available to playas. That's why what the PLJV is doing is so important, showing where playas are, how important they are and how they can be used for EBI scores. The PLJV is talking to the Farm Service Agency on how they can better help offices in the PLJV region to find playas and assess priority. PLJV will be at the table when they talk about EBI revision for the next signup in 2007."
Landowner Survey Hits the PLJV Region
Starting this month, 1,800 landowners and land managers across the PLJV region will be receiving the High Plains Landowner Survey, a questionnaire aimed at assessing farmers' and ranchers' experience with and opinions of playas, wetlands and other natural resources of the High Plains. The survey was developed by the PLJV and DJ Case and Associates, and the first of four mail waves is set to begin in March.
The survey includes 21 questions designed to measure participants' opinions and experiences of having wetlands on their land, willingness to conduct conservation work and preference for different types of incentives, as well as a range of questions to ascertain opinions and knowledge of playas and other wildlife habitats. Stay tuned to the Playa Post in July when we will publish the results of the survey.
Playa Country Radio Features Local Partnerships
Tune into Playa Country radio this month for insight into what makes our local partners tick. Throughout March, Playa Country will feature one local partnership each week that is leading grass roots environmental conservation efforts - including the Oklahoma Wildlife and Prairie Heritage Alliance, Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams, Texas Prairie Rivers Region, and the Colorado Prairie and Wetlands Focus Area Committee.
Playa Country is broadcast on the High Plains Public Radio network every Monday morning at 10:30 and again Saturday at 11:15am CST. If you don't get Playa Country in your neck of the prairie, tell your local farm or public radio station about it and let us know.
Happenings Around the PLJV:
> March 5-10: Central Flyway Technical Committee meeting; Ft Collins, CO; contact Jim Gammonley.
> March 8: Playa Exhibit opens at the Sternberg Museum in Hays, KS.
> March 8: Colorado Natural Resources Conservation Service State Technical Committee Meeting; Golden, CO; contact Linda Neel.
> March 9: Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams Board Meeting; Hays, KS; contact Tim Christian.
> March 12-18: National Groundwater Awareness Week
> March 15-17: Partners in Flight Western Working Group Meeting in Missoula, MT; contact Larry Neel.
> March 16-19: Rivers and Wildlife Celebration and Nebraska Partnership for All Bird Conservation steering committee and workgroup meetings; Kearney, NE.
> March 22-25: 71st Annual North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference; Columbus, OH.
> March 27: Colorado Prairie and Wetland Focus Area Committee meeting in La Junta, CO; contact Tammy VerCauteren.
> April 7 - 9: New Mexico's 5th Annual Lesser Prairie Chicken Festival; Milnesand, NM; contact Dawn Davis.
Playa Post ©2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 Playa Lakes Joint Venture. Submission deadlines are the 15th of each month for publication the following month. Send press releases, comments and subscription inquiries to Debbie F. Slobe.
Friendly Fire: Prescribed Burns Benefit Prairie Ecosystems
Some might say it's untimely to talk about prescribed fire given the rash of wildfires that have consumed parts of Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma lately and subsequent burning bans. But such wildfires serve as reminders that fire is a reality of the plains ecosystem. During pre-settlement times, fires frequently erupted - set by nature and man - through the North American prairie, creating robust plant communities and restoring native vegetation and forage for wildlife.
Today, fire isn't free to answer to nature's whims. It must be contained, controlled and managed so that human populations, as well as wildlife and plant populations, are protected. As resource managers and landowners learn more about the natural role of fire in the ecosystem, more are employing prescribed burns as a way to combat invasive plant species such as Eastern Red Cedar and shinnery oak, revitalize native prairie and improve forage for livestock and wildlife, such as Lesser Prairie-Chicken and Northern Bobwhite quail.
In the PLJV region, prescribed burning and test plot burning is taking place in Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and New Mexico. Burns are conducted under strict management plans and require careful timing around appropriate weather and soil conditions. Some of these efforts are being led by burn associations. Burn associations are landowner-owned and controlled cooperatives that share knowledge, experience, costs and other resources, and can significantly increase safety and efficiency while reducing costs involved in prescribed burns.
Landowners interested in learning more about prescribed fire, joining a burn association or seeking financial and technical assistance for prescribed burns can find help through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program offered through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Private Stewardship Grants Program, among others. In western Oklahoma, contact Trapper Heglin of the Oklahoma Wildlife and Prairie Heritage Alliance; in the Texas Panhandle, contact the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Canyon office at (806) 655-3782/3975; in New Mexico contact Tish McDaniel of the Nature Conservancy; in the Nebraska Panhandle, contact Emily Munter of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission or Jeff Sprock of the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory. In Colorado and Kansas, contact your local USDA service center.
Follow the Money:
> EPA Wetlands Program Development Grants: The EPA is soliciting applications for the 2006 Wetlands Program Development Grants through March 20, 2006 through grants.gov. Each region has a solicitation out. The Wetland Program Development Grants (WPDGs) for Regions, initiated in FY90, provides applicants an opportunity to carry out projects to develop and refine comprehensive wetland programs. Eligible applicants include states, tribes and local government agencies. Non-profit organizations are not eligible to compete under this RFP. EPA Headquarters administers the national non-profit competition and will issue a separate competitive announcement. Contact your regional EPA office for complete details.
> Conservation Security Program Signup Begins: Signup is open now until March 31, 2006 for the Conservation Security Program offered through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. CSP is a voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance to promote the conservation and improvement of soil, water, air, energy, plant and animal life, and other conservation purposes on tribal and private working lands. Each year, CSP is offered in selected watersheds throughout the U.S., Caribbean and the Pacific Basin areas. Click here for a map of selected watersheds for 2006.
> Nature Of Learning Start-Up Grants:
The National Wildlife Refuge System's The Nature of Learning community-based environmental education initiative seeks to: use National Wildlife Refuges as outdoor classrooms to promote a greater understanding of local conservation issues; encourage an interdisciplinary approach to learning that seeks to enhance student academic achievement; utilize field experiences and student-led stewardship projects to connect classroom lessons to real world issues; and involve a partnership among local schools, community groups, natural resource professionals and local businesses. Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded on a competitive basis to support start-up expenses associated with new programs. In addition, grants up to $3,000 will be awarded on a comprehensive basis to provide continued support to existing Nature of Learning Programs. Application deadline: April 17, 2006.
> EPA Region 7 Watershed Improvement Grants: Are you developing a wetland buffer research project in Kansas or Nebraska? EPA Region 7 is looking to fund projects that directly result in on-the-ground activities which will improve water quality at the watershed level through the Watershed Improvement Grant. Proposals are due by May 11, 2006 and EPA intends to award an estimated $300,000 to eligible applicants through assistance agreements ranging in size from $50,000 to $100,000.
> EPA Seeks Applications for Funding to Support Agency Strategic Objectives: EPA is seeking applications for grants or cooperative agreements to fund meetings, workshops, and conferences that support agency efforts at promoting environmental protection and scientific research. EPA expects to make approximately 25 awards over the next 12 months to eligible institutions, which include states, tribes, U.S. territories and possessions, public and private universities and colleges, hospitals, laboratories, local governments, and other public and private nonprofit institutions. The activities to be arranged by grantees or parties to cooperative agreements include conferences, workshops, and meetings in select areas. Applications must be received between January 19, 2006 and January 18, 2007. EPA will not consider applications for less than $5,000. EPA will make funding decisions on a quarterly basis beginning approximately April 18, 2006, and thereafter approximately every three months.
Some might say it's untimely to talk about prescribed fire given the rash of wildfires that have consumed parts of Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma lately and subsequent burning bans. But such wildfires serve as reminders that fire is a reality of the plains ecosystem. During pre-settlement times, fires frequently erupted - set by nature and man - through the North American prairie, creating robust plant communities and restoring native vegetation and forage for wildlife.
Today, fire isn't free to answer to nature's whims. It must be contained, controlled and managed so that human populations, as well as wildlife and plant populations, are protected. As resource managers and landowners learn more about the natural role of fire in the ecosystem, more are employing prescribed burns as a way to combat invasive plant species such as Eastern Red Cedar and shinnery oak, revitalize native prairie and improve forage for livestock and wildlife, such as Lesser Prairie-Chicken and Northern Bobwhite quail.
In the PLJV region, prescribed burning and test plot burning is taking place in Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and New Mexico. Burns are conducted under strict management plans and require careful timing around appropriate weather and soil conditions. Some of these efforts are being led by burn associations. Burn associations are landowner-owned and controlled cooperatives that share knowledge, experience, costs and other resources, and can significantly increase safety and efficiency while reducing costs involved in prescribed burns.
Landowners interested in learning more about prescribed fire, joining a burn association or seeking financial and technical assistance for prescribed burns can find help through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program offered through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Private Stewardship Grants Program, among others. In western Oklahoma, contact Trapper Heglin of the Oklahoma Wildlife and Prairie Heritage Alliance; in the Texas Panhandle, contact the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Canyon office at (806) 655-3782/3975; in New Mexico contact Tish McDaniel of the Nature Conservancy; in the Nebraska Panhandle, contact Emily Munter of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission or Jeff Sprock of the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory. In Colorado and Kansas, contact your local USDA service center.
Follow the Money:
> EPA Wetlands Program Development Grants: The EPA is soliciting applications for the 2006 Wetlands Program Development Grants through March 20, 2006 through grants.gov. Each region has a solicitation out. The Wetland Program Development Grants (WPDGs) for Regions, initiated in FY90, provides applicants an opportunity to carry out projects to develop and refine comprehensive wetland programs. Eligible applicants include states, tribes and local government agencies. Non-profit organizations are not eligible to compete under this RFP. EPA Headquarters administers the national non-profit competition and will issue a separate competitive announcement. Contact your regional EPA office for complete details.
> Conservation Security Program Signup Begins: Signup is open now until March 31, 2006 for the Conservation Security Program offered through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. CSP is a voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance to promote the conservation and improvement of soil, water, air, energy, plant and animal life, and other conservation purposes on tribal and private working lands. Each year, CSP is offered in selected watersheds throughout the U.S., Caribbean and the Pacific Basin areas. Click here for a map of selected watersheds for 2006.
> Nature Of Learning Start-Up Grants:
The National Wildlife Refuge System's The Nature of Learning community-based environmental education initiative seeks to: use National Wildlife Refuges as outdoor classrooms to promote a greater understanding of local conservation issues; encourage an interdisciplinary approach to learning that seeks to enhance student academic achievement; utilize field experiences and student-led stewardship projects to connect classroom lessons to real world issues; and involve a partnership among local schools, community groups, natural resource professionals and local businesses. Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded on a competitive basis to support start-up expenses associated with new programs. In addition, grants up to $3,000 will be awarded on a comprehensive basis to provide continued support to existing Nature of Learning Programs. Application deadline: April 17, 2006.
> EPA Region 7 Watershed Improvement Grants: Are you developing a wetland buffer research project in Kansas or Nebraska? EPA Region 7 is looking to fund projects that directly result in on-the-ground activities which will improve water quality at the watershed level through the Watershed Improvement Grant. Proposals are due by May 11, 2006 and EPA intends to award an estimated $300,000 to eligible applicants through assistance agreements ranging in size from $50,000 to $100,000.
> EPA Seeks Applications for Funding to Support Agency Strategic Objectives: EPA is seeking applications for grants or cooperative agreements to fund meetings, workshops, and conferences that support agency efforts at promoting environmental protection and scientific research. EPA expects to make approximately 25 awards over the next 12 months to eligible institutions, which include states, tribes, U.S. territories and possessions, public and private universities and colleges, hospitals, laboratories, local governments, and other public and private nonprofit institutions. The activities to be arranged by grantees or parties to cooperative agreements include conferences, workshops, and meetings in select areas. Applications must be received between January 19, 2006 and January 18, 2007. EPA will not consider applications for less than $5,000. EPA will make funding decisions on a quarterly basis beginning approximately April 18, 2006, and thereafter approximately every three months.